Mamelodi Sundowns will face TS Galaxy in their next Betway Premiership encounter on Tuesday evening as they look to strengthen their grip on the league title.
Their hosts, TS Galaxy, will pose a formidable challenge. The Rockets are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches, having won five and drawn six during this impressive run.
Ten for Ten
Mamelodi Sundowns are currently sitting at the top of the Premier Soccer League standings after 15 matches, firmly in control of their title ambitions. Their recent 4-1 victory over Orlando Pirates was a key moment in their season, further solidifying their dominance and increasing their lead over the Buccaneers to a comfortable nine points.
This win was the latest highlight in a remarkable run of form for Sundowns, who had already been on fire prior to their clash with Pirates. They enjoyed a nine-match winning streak, which included impressive victories over teams like Cape Town City, Stellenbosch, and SuperSport United, showcasing their incredible consistency and attacking power.
It almost seemed too perfect—their tenth match in this streak was against their closest rivals, the Mighy Buccaneers.
On top of the team’s brilliance, Sundowns’ head coach, Miguel Cardoso, made history by becoming the first manager in Premier Soccer League history to win each of his first seven matches. His leadership and tactical acumen have been key to Sundowns’ sensational season, and their form suggests they are on track for a strong title challenge.
“I will keep on saying that the championship is far from being finished, but now each match we play we can close it more and more,” said the ex-Esperance manager.
“But there is a long way to go, we just have a small advantage that we should respect and to do that is to give our best and the best is already on Tuesday.”
Player to watch
Lucas Ribeiro Costa had already been firing on all cylinders, registering at least one goal involvement in each of his previous three league appearances ahead of the clash with Pirates. However, the Brazilian was once again central to their victory.
Ribeiro not only scored two of Sundowns’ four goals, but his influence extended far beyond that. His intelligent positioning, key passes, and ability to pull the strings in the final third made Pirates look ineffective and disjointed.
Ribeiro’s first goal was a masterpiece: he picked up the ball in Sundowns’ half, drove it forward, and slotted home with a measured out-of-the-box effort. A performance truly worthy of his Man of the Match award.
How to watch
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 19:30 on Tuesday, 11 February and will be carried live on the public broadcaster’s radio stations for commentary. The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport channel 202 and can also be streamed on Showmax.
Mbombela Stadium
The 43 000 seater stadium will host the clash between TS Galaxy and Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Nelspruit based stadium was one of five new stadiums that were built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and hosted four Group matches during the tournament of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The stadium primarily serves as the home ground for TS Galaxy, one of the teams in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL), but has also been used for rugby matches, including those in the Currie Cup. That being said, it has hosted other tournaments including soccer, rugby and cricket.
Betting odds (supplied by Hollywoodbets)
To win (90 min)
TS Galaxy 46/10 | Draw 49/20 | Mamelodi Sundowns 13/20
The Rockets currently sit in 7th place on the table with 22 points from 16 matches. While they are far from the title race, their resilience makes them a difficult side to break down. That being said, the visitors have too much quality and I have to give it to them.
Back Sundowns on the win and over 2.5 goals at 7/4!