From Sundowns
PRETORIA-THERE are more than just three points at stake when African Champions Mamelodi Sundowns take on form team Supersport United at Loftus Stadium Thursday evening in an Absa Premiership clash.
First, there is the edge that comes from a local derby.  Then there are the bragging rights: the Tshwane derby has proven to be a far more exciting derby than its much vaunted rivals south of the Jukskei River.
And, more critically, the champions are desperate for a win. They have hone give games without victory and have to win their remaining catch up games if they are to have a realistic chance of retaining their Absa belt.
On the side of Supersport, they are in one of the best chances of winning the league championship in years, and they have been on a roll to achieve this, but for a speed hump against Baroka who beat hem 1-0 recently.
Unlike the derby in the south of Gauteng, the two teams always score goals, which is what fans pay to see. Only once in their last five games did they play to a goalless draw- in a cup game which Supersport won on penalties.
And in the 32 times they have met, the two teams have scored a whopping 78 goals, with the Brazilians scoring 47 of those.
But statistics count for nought in a derby.  In their last five encounters, Pitso Mosimane’s side have won four – 2-1, 3-1, 2-0, and 3-1, and the 0-0 cup draw. That surely would indicate the dice would roll in favour of the champions.
But, it seems, that was then. The Brazilians are hoping through a bad patch, having gone five games without victory in the league. They have lost to Cape Town City twice, and more recently against Kaizer Chiefs and Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Nedbank Cup.
Has the grinding campaign which has involved going all the way in the CAF Champions League which they won, the FIFA Club World Championship, the CAF Super Cup which they won, and the grueling Absa league and cup , finally caught up with Mosimane’s charges?
The Brazilians have effectively played two years of football without a break. Add to this the fact that the majority of his players also turn out for their national teams, it is clear that they might have shot their bolt. One symptom which has become evident is the number of injuries the team has. Lesser  teams might have crumbled already.
But they are fighters, and will not give up their league mantle without a fight.  The loss to Arrows in the Nedbank may have been a blessing, desirable thought it might be to win all trophies.
Percy Tau has lost some of his zing. Khama Billiat has lost a bit of his edge , even though he had a spell out injured. Themba Zwane has lost some of his edge, and so has the hard running captain Hlompho Kekana. Tiyane Mabunda is out injured. Leonardo Castro has not quite worked himself back to the levels we saw last season following injury. Wayne Arendse is out injured. So is Ricardo Nascimento and now Bangaly Soumahoro. Denis Onyango is battling to recover from his injury.
Getting the back four combination right has been a struggle for the coach, and last time out, he brought in Motjeka Madisha from the MDC team, and while he put in a sterling performance, he still needs supportive experience behind him in the centre back role. The coach paired him with Thabo Nthete who himself has not had much game time.
This, then, is the story of Mamelodi Sundowns. Can the spirit of the derby revive them?
They have had a rare four days without playing, and the technical team would have been prudent in their game preparation .
Supersport have had a mixed bag of results from which it is difficult to measure form. They have mostly been engaged in CAF Confederations Cup games where they have won only one out of three, and two Cup games against Royal Eagles and Kwa Dukuza.
So the stage will be set for another classic Tshwane derby, and the fans will be in for another evening of tight, running football.
–Guardian Sport