Cape Town — TS Galaxy, the DStv Premiership draw kings, are hoping to achieve the rare feat of defeating Mamelodi Sundowns twice in a season.
This season TS Galaxy have replaced Swallows as the country's Premiership draw kings, having drawn 10 of their 17 matches to date. Last season, Swallows finished the season with 20 draws in 30 matches.
Last August, Galaxy stunned all and sundry by defeating Sundowns at their Loftus Versfeld fortress. After Lifa Hlongwane scored just past the half-hour mark, the star-studded Sundowns team were unable to land the equaliser in the remaining hour's play.
The defeat was one of two Sundowns suffered this season in the Premiership.
Galaxy's German coach Sead Ramovic is hoping lightning can strike twice against Sundowns at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Tuesday evening (7.30pm kick-off).
“Yes we won against them but it was not easy. I want to say, with respect to Sundowns, almost all the teams in the league are hard to beat,” said Ramovic, whose side has not won in their last four outings and slipped down to 12th on the log.
“It was not easy to beat them but it's not easy to beat any of the other teams. Every team in this league is really tough to play against.
“But I think we have a quality team. And we have two or three players that will soon be in the national team. When you look at the table, you will see that we are really close to getting back to the top eight.”
Sundowns are is rare form and on a record-breaking 12-match winning run after defeating Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.
However, Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena is not taking his lowly opponents lightly and spent last Friday night watching Galaxy play Cape Town City at the same stadium for Tuesday's clash. He assured the media Sundowns will not be on a revenge mission.
“We are not motivated by revenge but by trying to win every single match and that’s what we will try to do when we travel to Mbombela Stadium," said Mokwena.
"The mandate will always be to win the next match and that’s what we’re focused on.”
The match has been brought forward because of Sundowns' upcoming CAF Champions League matches next month. Their first match, a home fixture, is on February 10 and thereafter there will be matches for the next six weeks. Their first opponents will be Sudan champions Al-Hilal Omdurman.
IOL Sport