Sundowns on course to clock a stupefying 31 games in less than five months

By the time the referee blows the final whistle after their last outing of the year against Polokwane City at Loftus on December 30, Mamelodi Sundowns would have completed a staggering 31 matches in less than five months. 

Their 0-0 draw against Egyptian side Pyramids in the Caf Champions League group stages in Pretoria on Sunday was Sundowns’ 26th match since they started the season with a 2-1 Premiership win away against Sekhukhune United on August 4. 

During their hectic schedule in 2023, the Brazilians reached the final of the MTN8, in which they lost on penalties to Orlando Pirates; won the inaugural African Football League (AFL), beating Wydad Casablanca in the final; and lost in the opening round of the new Carling Knockout Cup. 

All of that while playing in the bread-and-butter business of the Premiership, which they lead, and the Champions League, a tournament they are under pressure to win for the first time since 2016. 

Their schedule in the past five months included trips to Tanzania where they played against Bumamuru, Angola where they faced Petro Atlético, Egypt against Al Ahly, Morocco to take on Wydad and TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi. 

Their grind continues as they host bottom-of-the-log Cape Town Spurs in the Premiership at Loftus on Wednesday (7.30pm), when Downs will aim to stretch their record of successive league wins from the start of the season to 11. 

“These games are not easy and I do feel sorry for my players because it is a difficult month for us with so many matches where everybody wants to beat us,” said Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena. 

“Everybody feels they have to play at a certain level against us, without understanding how difficult it is for us to keep going. Every three days you are in camp and you are travelling. It is that type of programme but we have to get on with it.” 

Sundowns have five matches and a Champions League trip to Pyramids in Egypt between Wednesday and their last game before the break against Polokwane on December 30. There will be no rest as their players are going to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with their national teams in January and February, including Downs’ many Bafana Bafana squad members. 

“There is no time for pity parties. The universe doesn’t have a budget for that. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to move on and try to understand we have two difficult away matches in the Champions League,” Mokwena said. 

“Fortunately, we can finish the group stages at home and by that time hopefully we will know what we need to do.” 

Sundowns’ difficult programme is a product of a compressed domestic season in which a third cup competition has been added and the Premier Soccer League has to break for the Nations Cup, plus continental participation in the AFL, on top of the Champions League.

Mokwena thanked his players for their commitment, handling the load of competing in a staggering six competitions in 2023/24. 

“The SA culture during the December period doesn’t accommodate football. Over the years, this is the time for festive games and for us to go and watch the Maimane Phiri Games. 

“It is very difficult to have a clearer understanding of what it needs to get a bit refreshed. When you leave your wife and kids at home, they say, ‘Are you going to training again?’

“It’s difficult for the players and that’s why I said that I want to thank them for responding to the talk at half-time [after a sluggish opening 45 minutes against Pyramids].”

In Sundowns’ programme for the rest of 2023 they follow the Spurs game with the return match against Pyramids in Cairo (December 19) before Premiership clashes away against Cape Town City (December 24), at home to Moroka Swallows (December 27) and at home to Polokwane.