Sundowns to follow in Arrows' footsteps

Mamelodi Sundowns may be two points adrift from pacesetters Bidvest Wits, but they'll be hoping this is the season to achieve the improbable, becoming only the second team to win the MultiChoice Diski Challenge twice.

In the initiative’s sixth year inception, it’s only been Golden Arrows to win the league twice, achieving that feat in the 2015/2016 and 2017/2018 seasons.

In those seasons, Abafana Bes'thende were steered to victory by coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi, who had donned the yellow and green jersey during his heydays.

David Notoane, who is the Sundowns coach, won the Diski Challenge three seasons ago, ensuring that the Brazilians become only the third team to win the league after University of Pretoria and Arrows.

Following their success, the wheels came off as the Brazilians lost their first four matches, while coach Notaone bemoaned the injury sustained by talisman Keletso Makgalwa, who has since graduated to the first team.

However, in the lower ranks Notoane continues to boast an impressive unit. His captain is Promise Mkhuma, a player that's been with the under-20s in the Africa Youth Championships and the World Cup in Poland earlier this season.

It's not only Mkhum who has an international experience though, goalkeeper Glen Baadjies was also with Amajita in the global event this year.

Sure, Notoane may also be holding the fort at the under-23s, a team that will bid for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games via the Caf eight-nation tournament from 8-22 November.

During that tenure, assistant coach and former Sundowns player Surprise Moriri will be tasked with leading the team to victory. But he also knows that he'll have to start bagging the results sooner rather than later.

Early in September, Moriri assumed the hot seat for the feeder team, starting his tenure on a disappointing note after losing 2-1 to AmaZulu.

In his second stint holding the hot seat for Notoane, Moriri could only manage a 2-2 draw against Glen Salmon's team's, Orlando Pirates.

In their next assignment the Brazilians will lock horns with log leaders Wits, a team that has been impressive under the stewardship of Dillon Sheppard.

A win in that encounter will give Notoane's men a chance to go to the summit of the reserve league's log standings, but that won't be a walk in the park for either side, especially playing at the neutral venue, the Harry Gwala Stadium, on Saturday.

Do expect either side to have plenty of tricks up their sleeve that will enable them to bag maximum points. This is, after all, teams that are hot on each other's heels on the log standings, while both coaches, Notoane and Sheppard, understand that three points could very well come in handy at the end of the season.