Ndamane Warns Sundowns Against Arrows Revenge Traps In High-Stakes Umlazi Showdown
Mamelodi Sundowns defender Khulumani Ndamane expects another difficult battle against Golden Arrows when the two sides meet in a crucial Betway Premiership encounter at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
The match will be the third meeting between the sides this season, with both teams having already experienced victory against the other. Two weeks ago, Arrows stunned Sundowns in Pretoria with a win in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final, giving Abafana Bes’Thende a crucial advantage.
However, Sundowns responded strongly last week, defeating Arrows in Umlazi to secure revenge and advance to the MTN8 final.
The Brazilians will now look to carry that momentum into Sunday’s league encounter, although Ndamane knows Arrows will be motivated to respond on home soil.
“I think this will be a tough game, and this will be our third game against them this season,” Ndamane said.
“I think they will come with the mentality that they want to win, and everyone who goes into a game does so with the mentality of winning.
“For us, I think we need to focus on the game so that we will be able to come back with three points.
“As I said, everyone who comes to a game comes with the mentality of winning, so we must be aware that they will be more ready for us because they are also playing at home. We need to manage them and be able to come back with three points.”
The stakes are particularly high for Sundowns in the league. A victory or draw on Sunday would see them move to the top of the Betway Premiership standings, with Orlando Pirates involved in CAF Champions League action this weekend.
However, the Buccaneers currently have a better goal difference than Sundowns, meaning they could reclaim top spot when they play their next league encounter.
Ndamane therefore stressed the importance of not only collecting points but also making the most of their opportunities in front of goal.
“What’s important right now is that if you get three points and goals, with the log being like this, we will be number one,” he added.
“So, for us, we have to focus on the game, but even if we win 1-0, I think that will be very important because we are playing an away game.”
Sundowns will also be aware of an interesting piece of history heading into the fixture. If Arrows defeat them on Sunday, it would repeat what happened last season, when Abafana Bes’Thende beat Sundowns in the first round of the league.
That defeat was particularly significant because it was Sundowns’ first league loss of the season. The Brazilians have once again started the current campaign unbeaten, meaning Arrows have an opportunity to become the side that ends their unbeaten run for a second consecutive season.
