The DStv Diski Challenge League is reaching its climactic finale, and the atmosphere is thick with urgency. For Mamelodi Sundowns coach Tiro Van Rooyen, this urgency is more than a mere sentiment; it casts a long shadow over the team’s ambitions.
In a reflective moment, Van Rooyen acknowledges the early missteps that continue to echo in their collective consciousness, a haunting reminder of opportunities lost. “Every point count,” he asserts, his gaze steady and unwavering, signaling the profound implications of each result as they navigate the cutthroat landscape of the title race.
Their campaign began with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Siwelele FC in September 2025, a matches that Van Rooyen insists should have ended in victories. That was followed by a stinging 1-0 loss to Richards Bay on matchday four. With the finish line now in sight, the specter of these early slip-ups serves as both a harsh lesson and a potent motivator, urging Sundowns’ DDC team to rise above adversity and claim their fate. The path to glory is rarely linear, and the coach understands that our most fervent ambitions are often ignited by our greatest disappointments.
Sundowns are second of the log with 48 points, same as leader Orlando Pirates, but Sundowns have played one match more.
While acknowledging that their destiny is no longer fully within their control, Van Rooyen remains resolute in his commitment to fight until the season’s last breath. “Unfortunately, we just have to continue with the process and push until the final day of the season. The last thing we want is for the league to be decided before the final match. It’s out of our hands now, but we must focus on our job and hope Pirates slip up along the way,” he stated, capturing the duality of hope and resignation that characterizes this critical juncture in his first season at the helm of Sundowns in the DDC.
This weekend, matchday 23 on the horizon, Sundowns will travel to North West to face a determined Orbit College at Olympia Park Stadium on Sunday morning at 10:00. Maximum points are essential for Sundowns to solidify their hold on second place or, should fortune favour them, to seize the top position if the log leaders falter on Saturday.
Van Rooyen understands the challenge ahead is steep. “It will be tricky,” he concedes, yet he and his squad stand firm in their determination to battle tooth and nail for every point, aware that failure could place them in a precarious predicament as the season’s climax approaches.