Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena insists they will get back to their best soon after a gruelling schedule sees them finish off the year against Polokwane City at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 3:30pm CAT (SA, GMT+2)
The Brazilians have already played 29 games across all competitions in the opening five months of the campaign and the visit of Rise And Shine will be their seventh outing in December alone.
We're closing off the year by welcoming Polokwane City!👆
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) December 28, 2023
⚽ Mamelodi Sundowns vs Polokwane City
📅 30 December
⏰ 17H45
🏟 Loftus Versfeld
📺 SS202#Sundowns #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/yDpqiRx0OK
Their perfect league record in 2023-24 came to an end last weekend following a 0-0 draw with Cape Town City at the Cape Town Stadium and Mokwena's side were due to face Moroka Swallows on Wednesday, but the match was cancelled just a few hours before kick-off to give Sundowns a welcome respite.
Mokwena has marvelled at Masandawana's achievements this season in the face of adversity and indicated that the result against the Citizens was merely a bump in the road as they look to extend their five-point lead over SuperSport United at the top of the table going into the mid-season break.
"We want to win, and we play to win and we want to win every single game. That's the process. This game is just a pause in that process. Just pause a little bit and then we will continue," he said.
"We will be back to our best, it's not easy to do what this group of players is doing. To travel the way we are travelling, to play the number of games, the number of injuries, people say it's excuses, but it's not excuses, it's [a] fact.
"I would like to see how many teams would get the results that we've recorded with the circumstances that we've had to overcome."
Rise And Shine picked up their first win under Phuti Mohafe when they beat Chippa United 2-1 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on 23 December.
Mohafe had lost his opening two matches at the helm since replacing Lehlohonolo Seema, who quit on 13 November to take over the reins at Sekhukhune United.
A first win in seven games lifted the Limpopo outfit up to seventh place as they went level on 20 points with Golden Arrows but sit above them in the standings on goal difference.
Mohafe doesn't believe he's ready to steer the ship on a permanent basis yet, claiming he could benefit from the guidance of a more experienced coach to teach him certain aspects of the game.
"I can't say I'm 100 per cent ready [to be a permanent coach]," he said. "I'm almost there.
"I think I'm 95 per cent there and I still need to be shown certain things about football, certain aspects of football that I don't know about, certain aspects of football that I have to learn, certain aspects of football that I need to deal with before I can say I'm 110 per cent ready."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mamelodi Sundowns
Peter Shalulile: The 30-year-old Namibian striker didn't get much service against City as they adopted a high press to break up Sundowns' passing game. Shalulile did have the ball in the back of the net in the first half, but the goal was ruled out for offside, while he failed to hit the target in the second half after collecting the ball from Terrence Mashego's cutback on the left.
Polokwane City
Oswin Appollis: The 22-year-old winger is enjoying a fine season on his return to the DStv Premiership with Polokwane City. He scored a match-winning brace against Chippa to take his tally for the season to four goals in 15 appearances and is becoming a crucial cog in the team.