Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena feels this season they have hugely improved and progressed compared to last season.  

That is because Sundowns already have a trophy to boot, winning the African Football League which they claimed last year in November.  

They also reached the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, but astonishingly, despite dominating the game and having better chances, lost on penalty shootouts in October. 

They are in the CAF Champions League semifinal for the second time in succession and will face Esperance of Tunisia in the two-legged tie later this month, where they are viewed as a huge favorite to claim Africa’s holy grail.  

The DStv Premiership title won in six successive seasons, it is just a matter of time before they claim their seventh as they are sitting pretty on top with 49 points after 19 matches, 10 ahead of second-placed Stellenbosch with three games in hand.  

“For me, this is already an improvement from last season, one trophy (in the inaugural African Football League) already, a huge gap in the league,” reflected Mokwena after they beat Young Africans in the quarter-finals on penalties on Friday. 

“We are in the (Nedbank Cup) in the quarter-finals as we were last season (lost last season to Stellies). We were in the final of the MTN8, which we didn’t make last season.  

“I’m proud of what I see as an improvement and if it is a marginal improvement, it’s enough for me.  

“Big credit to the players. It was difficult on Friday, and I expected it to be that way because this is the Champions League and anyone who expected it to be a walkover doesn’t understand how difficult this competition is.” 

Sundowns’ charge to the DStv Premiership title will see them face bottom side Cape Town Spurs at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday (19:30).  

Spurs’ last time beat Downs in Cape Town was on 13 August 2014 when Travis Graham scored the solitary goal for Roger De Sa’s side.