Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso reacts during their Betway Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs at the Lucas 'Masterieces' Moripa Stadium on Saturday.
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Mamelodi Sundowns flexed their muscles over rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at home in a space of a month in the Betway Premiership.
And while that didn’t establish their status as the incoming champions for a record eight time for now, they proved to be boss. Independent Media's Mihlali Baleka covered both matches, and that’s why below he looks at three ways the Brazilians showed their dominance.
Coach Miguel Cardoso had been cracking the whip on all and sundry since arriving at the club and that’s why many hoped that Chiefs and Pirates would stop him in his tracks.
But the Portuguese mentor had other ideas. He wanted to stamp his authority by beating ‘the best’ to be ranked among the best, and so far, he’s simply been the best. His team outmuscled Pirates 4-1 early in February to the disappointment of his European counterpart Jose Riveiro.
He was back at it Saturday. Sundowns were not at their best due to fatigue and injuries, but they still had enough gas in their tank to beat Chiefs 1-0. Cardoso had stressed prior to the game that Chief will not sit-back, while he has respect for counterpart Nasreddine Nabi who remains a top coach despite the struggles.
The aforementioned proved to be the case. Nevertheless, Cardoso and his troops were unable to grind out the result.
It is often said that to be the best you must beat the best and there’s no doubt that Sundowns had that narrative at the back of their minds when they came up against their rivals.
Pirates have been their closet enemy this season as the two sides are at the top of the table. Sundowns didn’t only beat Pirates to ensure that they got themselves some breathing space, but sent a stern message to the next teams that they’d need to be better than Pirates to beat them.
TS Galaxy did manage to beat Downs in the next game, surprisingly beating them 1-0. But that was as far as the blemishes would go for the Brazilians.
They've been cracking the whip on everyone since, including earning the moniker 4x4 after winning league games by scorelines of fours last month.
Chiefs might not be in the chasing pack, but they remain one of the biggest teams in the land. And so, whenever Sundowns get an opportunity to beat them, they’ll surely grab it with both hands.
Sundowns have the best depth in the PSL. As such, their players always want to ‘show off’ by being at their best with every passing game.
Lucas Ribeiro was the star of the show in both matches, the Brazilian scoring a brace against Pirates and the winner against Chiefs. He couldn’t do it alone though. His teammates supplied him with the assists, while they also defended as a unit as the Soweto giants struggled to break them down.
While Pirates have the second-best depth behind Sundowns in the PSL, they are only becoming a formidable unit under coach Jose Riveiro this season.
Chiefs, meanwhile, are nowhere near a well-oiled machine. Coach Nasreddine Nabi is still finding his feet and better understanding of the players at his disposal. The Soweto Giants have also relied on youngsters this season, and there’s no doubt that their performances will fluctuate with every passing game.