Mosimane wants to wrap up title early

PITSO Mosimane wants to have the Premier Soccer League title wrapped up before Mamelodi Sundowns’ penultimate game of the season at Bidvest Wits in a week’s time.

“The last thing I want is to have to go to Bidvest Stadium needing a result,” Mosimane said of the upcoming clash between the top two teams on May 11.

Instead, he is hoping to can seal the title tomorrow night.

That depends, however, on second-placed Wits’ result tonight. If Wits fail to beat Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Mbombela Stadium, then Sundowns will be crowned champions tomorrow if they beat second-from-bottom University of Pretoria away.

“We don’t want to be playing for our lives when we go to Bidvest Stadium. So we will be going all out against Tuks,” Mosimane said.

“I am happy we’ve got a better goal difference because you never know, we might not win against Tuks. We might draw.

“So, therefore I’m treading carefully and taking it slowly. We are not going to let it go and become overexcited. No ways.

“But if we don’t win against Tuks, we are going to make sure we don’t lose,” he said.

With three rounds of league matches to come, Sundowns opened up a six-point gap over Wits with their 3-1 success over Kaizer Chiefs at the weekend.

It was a vindication of Mosimane’s decision to continue playing virtually the same starting lineup through several weeks now of two games a week.

He said questions about growing signs of fatigue and weariness were legitimate, but added that his “stubbornness” made him persist with his belief that the nucleus of his team could handle the burden.

Wits’ stuttering league challenge will be tested tonight when they travel to Black Aces knowing nothing short of victory will give them a realistic chance at silverware.

The Clever Boys looked off-colour in their 1-1 draw with Chippa United on Saturday.

They desperately need a much more energetic performance against a Black Aces side who are still chasing third place in the league and African Confederation Cup qualification.

Gavin Hunt has a number of concerns in his weary squad, not least up front and in the midfield.

Papy Faty was taken off in the first half against Chippa after he felt dizzy, having earlier in the campaign collapsed on the field with a mystery ailment.

“We’ve just got to be careful [with Papy] as he has just come back from a long layoff.

“We have got to protect him a little bit,” Hunt said of his key midfielder.

“I don’t know what exactly is wrong with him, I’m a football coach.”

Hunt is also sweating on his forwards, but hinted he may give a run to prolific English striker James Keene, who was left on the bench at the weekend with veteran Namibian international Henrico Botes the player in favour.

“Keene is not fully fit. We’re struggling with our front players, so I’ve got to rotate with him and Botes,” Hunt said.

Wits are already assured of second place in the league, and qualification for the 2017 African Champions League.

Their success will be their best finish since a runners-up place in the National Professional Soccer League in 1982. – Additional reporting by Nick Said