THIS is the one PSL match players would opt not to pitch up for if they were given a choice!
But the Absa Premiership Tshwane derby between SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns tonight (7.30pm) could play a crucial role in determining the future of both clubs, following last week’s 5-0 demolition of Matsatsantsa a Pitori by the Brazilians.
That embarrassing scoreline is now water under the bridge for the ambitious Stuart Baxter. Both clubs have dusted themselves off and are planning to renew their rivalry in Atteridgeville.
United’s 25-year-old goalkeeper, Reyaad Pieterse, and his Downs counterpart Denis Onyango will be the main targets as they will both want to keep a clean sheet amid all the fanfare of the occasion.
Pieterse, who for the first time in his short career has conceded five goals, believes they’ve rectified all their mistakes and are ready to fire on all cylinders tonight.
“As goalkeepers we don’t want to concede goals – in fact, that’s our job, we get paid not to concede,” said the ex-Kaizer Chiefs goalie.
“You can imagine how I felt last week and how I feel this week seeing that we face the same team again. As proof that we have put our house in order, we also won a match by five goals at the weekend.
“People say this will be a revenge or grudge match – it won’t be. We will apply our normal tactics and hope our strikers come to the party. But the five-goal victory at the weekend was a confidence boost.”
United won their Caf Confederation Cup second leg play-off match against Barrack Young Controllers 5-0, with a hat-trick by Jeremy Brockie, and goals by Thabo Mnyamane and Under-20 star Fagrie Lakay.
The win sees them qualify for the continental cup’s group phase with a 6-1 aggregate victory.
Also still reeling from their “chesa mpama” loss to Sundowns is United midfielder Thuso Phala, but he is playing it cool.
Said Phala: “It goes without saying that we have to win this match. We were mentally affected by that five-goal loss, which happens to be the first in my career. We have changed tactics and will see if Downs are able to handle us. The plan is to attack them from the word go until the very last minute.”
Onyango said they were not intimidated by SuperSport being able to emulate their goal-scoring form “against a small team from Liberia”.
He said this was a six-pointer: “We will not open up at the back. If they attack us they would be putting pressure on themselves.”
He said their plan was to win their nine remaining matches to put pressure on leaders Cape Town City, Kaizer Chiefs and Bidvest Wits.
“I know we have challenges as we have yet to play against Wits (on May Day),” he said.
“The Wits game will certainly determine the PSL champions and we have to be in the mix.”
