Zwane Warns Against Complacency As Sundowns Close In On League Title
Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane has cautioned the Brazilians against resting on their laurels, with a record-extending eighth consecutive championship within touching distance as they only need four points to seal it.
At the summit of the table, the Tshwane giants are enjoying a healthy 12-point gap over second-placed Orlando Pirates, who have two games in hand. Miguel Cardoso’s charges have picked up 64 points from 25 league outings, with three matches left to wrap up their season.
Sundowns will entertain Stellenbosch FC at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in their next Betway Premiership encounter on Sunday (15:00). Ahead of the clash, the Downs skipper is braced for a tough test against the formidable Cape Winelands outfit.
“Honestly, I’m expecting a tough game because they were playing the CAF Confederations Cup, and they did well, and they are pushing, ” said Zwane, who recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an ACL injury.
“But I can say the same with us, we have been doing well, and we have been scoring more goals and creating more chances, playing good football, and pushing ourselves. So, it’s going to be an exciting game to watch.”
While Masandawana will be determined to claim maximum points to edge closer to retaining their title, Zwane acknowledges the threat posed by Stellies players, picking former teammate Lesiba Nku as one of the danger men to watch out for.
“I can say Lesiba Nku is a quality player. But to be honest, they have a lot of quality players, they are a hard-working team, you can’t single out one player and say he is more dangerous than the other player,” the 35-year-old playmaker noted.
“But I feel like as a team collectively, they are stronger, so that’s why I’m saying it’s going to be an exciting game to watch.”
On Sundowns being on the cusp of asserting their dominance even further by reigning supreme in the South African topflight once again, the veteran attacking midfielder urged his teammates to remain grounded, stating that the job is not done yet.
“This is a crucial moment for us. We are close to winning the league, so we just need to keep our heads down and try to focus on the games that remain. And just be humble, work hard, stick to the process, and let’s keep on pushing, finish this thing off and celebrate as a team,” Zwane continued.
“Mshishi”, as Zwane is affectionately known, extended his stay at Chloorkop until June 2026 after Sundowns exercised the one-year option on his current contract that was set to expire at the end of the ongoing 2024/25 campaign.
