Mamelodi Sundowns are on the cusp of etching their names in the record books this weekend when they face a tricky Stellenbosch FC side at Athlone Stadium on Saturday.

Having already secured the league title with six games remaining, a win against Steve Barker’s men would propel them to 72 points with two games left. This achievement would eclipse the PSL record set by coach Pitso Mosimane’s dominant 2015/16 team since the league changed the format from 18 to 16 teams ahead of the 2001/02 season.

That Sundowns squad of 2016, boasting the attacking trio of Leonardo Castro, Keagan Dolly, and Khama Billiat (nicknamed “CBD”), was a force to be reckoned with both domestically and continentally. Their individual brilliance often dismantled opposing defenses.

This current iteration under coach Rulani Mokwena operates differently. They prioritize frustrating opponents by controlling possession and unleashing devastating as soon as lines are open when the opportunity arises. This strategy has yielded a remarkable 27-match unbeaten streak in the league.

Furthermore, since taking charge in October 2022, Mokwena has yet to experience a league defeat. This past weekend, Sundowns fielded a heavily rotated squad against Royal AM and still displayed the crisp passing and movement emphasized by Mokwena during the offseason. However, integrating players who arrived in January remains a work in progress, he admitted.

 “History has no blank pages and there is going to be something written about this group,” said Mokwena.  

“I don’t know what is going to be written but there will be something written about this group.”  

Mokwena, known for his unconventional metaphors, shared a curious anecdote that left some media members perplexed about its connection to football.

“I am also an avid animal or nature type of person and I watch a lot of National Geographic,” said Mokwena. 

“There is an interesting story of the crow and the eagle and if you go into it you will find the crow is always on the back of the eagle and biting its neck, but the eagle never fights back.   

“I watch a lot of things about nature and conservation and what happens in wildlife.   

“What the eagle does is it ascends to even greater heights until the crow loses oxygen and starts to fall off and that for me is a bit of a lesson in life.  

“You may have people on your back, maybe not appreciating or maybe talking negatively about you, but reality is what you should be doing, instead of using energy to fight those people, you should be like the eagle and ascend to even greater heights.  

“Because, eventually, you will get to a point where you are so high that they can’t maintain it more and they start to fall off.” 

Under Mokwena’s demanding leadership, the Sundowns players remain focused. While disappointed at not reaching the CAF Champions League final, they have a chance to complete a historic treble with the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates looming on 1 June at Mbombela Stadium.