Leaky Mamelodi Sundowns Aims to Tighten Defence for Nedbank Cup Final Against Marumo Gallants

• Mamelodi Sundowns is forever chasing high standards as they aim to complete a second domestic Treble triumph in three seasons
• The Brazilians will take on defending Nedbank Cup champions in the Ke Yona decider on Saturday evening in the North West
• The DStv Premiership champions have been uncharacteristically open at the back, letting in plenty of goals unusually

Mamelodi Sundowns has very high standards, with these slipping a little in recent weeks not long after winning a fifth consecutive DStv Premiership title.

The Brazilians have conceded six goals in their last three meetings at an average of two a match. These came against Kaizer Chiefs (1-1), Stellenbosch FC (0-3) and Royal AM (3-2).

As per SowetanLIVE, this has not sat well with co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi. The team is preparing for a Nedbank Cup final against Marumo Gallants on Saturday night at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenburg, kicking off at 6pm.

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Mngqithi said:

“It’s concerning [that they leaked six goals in their last three outings], more especially the [three] goals we conceded against Stellenbosch. We are very unhappy with those three goals because they were emanating from situations that we’d envisaged... the situations that we had profiled when we profiled them.

“I can’t say much about the goal we conceded against Chiefs. Royal AM are a high-scoring team [they scored twice versus them] but I still believe we could have done better in defending those two goals. As a team that don’t want to concede, we’re feeling bad.”

According to SuperSport, Sundowns is aiming to become the second team in the Premier Soccer League era starting in 1996 to win two domestic Trebles, with Orlando Pirates doing so in consecutive seasons in 2011 and 2012.

The Tshwane team did this for the first time in the Covid-19-struck season of 2019-20.

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Rustenburg is set for a takeover of note ahead of the Nedbank Cup final between champions Marumo Gallants and Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday evening.

As reported on Sports Brief, the match will kick off at 18:00, with gates to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Phokeng opening at 15:00 to allow for the Covid-19 testing of spectators.

The two-day affair will start on Friday at the Phokeng Mall, where fans will get to interact with heavyweights including Siphiwe Tshabalala and Jerry Sikhosana to name but a few in various activities.