Sports

Platinum stars

Dikwena take aim at Sundowns


@ PSL
@ PSL

Platinum Stars will square off with Mamelodi Sundowns in an Absa Premiership game at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg on Tuesday.Kick-off is at 7:30pm.

Dikwena are coming off a 1-0 win over Mozambican side Uniao Desportiva do Songo in the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup game in Maputo on Saturday.

Ndumiso Mabena scored the only goal of the match for Stars as they advanced to the first-round after winning 2-0 on aggregate.

Stars were held to a goalless stalemate by Baroka in their last league game which was played in Polokwane last week Wednesday.

The draw extended Dikwena’s unbeaten run in the league to five games. Since beating Cape Town City last December, they have registered four successive draws.

Dikwena are placed 14th on the league standings with 16 points from 16 games. They are two points above 15th-placed Highlands Park, who have played 18 games.

Mabena has finally ended his scoring drought by netting over the weekend. The former Orlando Pirates striker will look to score against Sundowns and help his side win.

Dikwena coach Cavin Johnson believes that their win over Songo prepared them well for their clash with the 2016 CAF Champions League winners, Sundowns.

“I think this game was as big as Sundowns. The difference is that Sundowns are African champions,” Johnson told Stars’ official website.

“We have got to go there and do as best as we can. Sundowns are there to always give you a good game.

“We just have to know what we do in certain moments of the game.”

Meanwhile, Sundowns edged out DR Congo giants TP Mazembe 1-0 in the 2017 CAF Super Cup game which was played in Pretoria over the weekend.

Ricardo Nascimento hit the back of the net from the spot-kick for the Brazilians and they held on to clinch their maiden CAF Super Cup.

The Brazilians drew 1-1 with Chippa United in their last league game which was played in East London last week Tuesday with Wayne Arendse netting for Sundowns.

The draw ended Sundowns’ four match winning run in the league. The last time the Tshwane giants tasted defeat was against Ajax Cape Town last November.

Sundowns are placed fifth on the league table with 26 points from 12 matches. They are seven points behind log leaders Kaizer Chiefs, who have played 18 games.

Anthony Laffor is the man to watch out for in the Brazilians team. The Liberian forward could be the key to Sundowns’ victory over Stars on Tuesday.

Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has shifted his focus to defending their league title and he’s eyeing a win over Stars.

“There are no guarantees. I can say we can win the league, but I’m not sure,” Mosimane told the media.

“We are aware that games in hand are not games won. We need to win the game on Tuesday [tomorrow],” he said.

“The one thing I’m lucky with is I have players who are responsible and look after themselves.

“It helps because if you are busy outside football, it will tell.”

During the last league meeting between Platinum Stars and Sundowns, the latter emerged 1-0 winners in Tshwane last May.

Khama Billiat netted the only goal of the match in the first-half and the Brazilians managed to hold onto their slender lead in the end.

This article was sourced from the PSL website.

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