SuperSport out to burst high-flying Sundowns' bubble

SuperSport United will renew their rivalry with in-form Mamelodi Sundowns in Wednesday's Tshwane Derby clash in the Betway Premiership at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.

Kick-off is at 7:30 pm CAT.

CURRENT FORM

Matsatsantsa stretched their winless run to four matches in the league when they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to AmaZulu FC away on Saturday and it was also their third successive defeat.

SuperSport are occupying the 11th spot in the Betway Premiership standings - three points behind eighth-placed Lamontville Golden Arrows who are scheduled to take on Cape Town City on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Sundowns are enjoying an eight-match unbeaten run in the league, having claimed an emphatic 4-0 win over Arrows at home on Sunday and they are also on an eight-match winning streak.

Masandawana are sitting pretty at the top of the Betway Premiership standings - six points clear of second-placed Orlando Pirates who have a game in hand as the two local giants go head to head for the title.

TEAM NEWS

SuperSport have no suspension worries, but they will be without the injured trio of Thulani Hlatswayo, Grant Margeman and Bradley Grobler. Loanee Lebohang Maboe will be ineligible to play against his parent club Sundowns due to an agreement between the two clubs.

Sundowns, on the other hand, will be without the suspended Bathusi Aubaas. Themba Zwane, ⁠Siyabonga Mabena, Rivaldo Coetzee, ⁠Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau and Thapelo Morena are currently on the league champions' injury list.

WHAT WAS SAID?

SuperSport United head coach Gavin Hunt

“I work on the green grass, he (Maboe)’s just come in, it’s disappointing because I think he adds value to us but agreements were done that wherever they were done, I don’t know anything about it,” Hunt said.

“I have just been told he can’t play, so that is a big blow to us because he’s quality and we saw on Saturday [against AmaZulu] when we played, the half an hour he played, you can see the quality he can give us, a different dimension to the team, so it’s disappointing.

“I look at some teams and they play the same XI every week, if you can tell me my starting XI for Wednesday I’d be lucky man, so it’s a bit difficult.”

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso

“Obviously, you cannot look too much in the front because you never know what will happen in the next game [against Orlando Pirates on Saturday],” Cardoso said.

“Today, we had an intention [against Golden Arrows], but we could not follow it through because the game was asking for things, and I needed to do it.

"I cannot think about the next one [against Pirates] before I play this one [against SuperSport] because I need the weapons to win the games.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vincent Pule, SuperSport United: The experienced winger has a goal and an assist in Matsatsantsa's last two matches. Pule has the Big Match Temperament (BMT) to propel SuperSport to a win over Sundowns.

Peter Shalulile, Mamelodi Sundowns: The lethal marksman has netted four goals in his last four matches across all competitions and he will be keen to ensure that Masandawana grab the Tshwane Derby bragging rights.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers
- 2019/20 SuperSport 1-2 Sundowns Furman (pen); Zwane, Morena
- 2020/21 SuperSport 0-0 Sundowns
- 2020/21 Sundowns 3-1 SuperSport Maboe, Modiba, Zwane; Mokoena
- 2021/22 Sundowns 2-2 SuperSport Maema, Shalulile; Lungu, Mokoena
- 2021/22 SuperSport 0-1 Sundowns Shalulile
- 2022/23 SuperSport 2-1 Sundowns Maseko, Grobler; Nasir
- 2022/23 Sundowns 1-0 SuperSport Maema
- 2023/24 SuperSport 0-2 Sundowns Shalulile, Ribeiro
- 2023/24 Sundowns 1-1 SuperSport Mokoena; Grobler
- 2024/25 Sundowns 2-0 SuperSport Rayners, Ribeiro