Phakaaathi.co.za Pitso’s juggernaut marches on and on

This is swiftly setting up to be the title race that never was. There has been a lot of jostling for position at the top of the Absa Premiership this season, with Bidvest Wits, SuperSport United, Cape Town City, Kaizer Chiefs and even Golden Arrows leading the table at some point. The current situation sees SuperSport and City top of the table on 35 points, with Wits and Chiefs a further point back on 34. A thriller is surely in store, right? Well actually, wrong, most probably.

The spanner in the works of a gripping sprint to the line comes in the form of the team lying in fifth, right now, Mamelodi Sundowns, a team that will go to the top of the table with a victory at home to Chippa United this evening.

The problem is that this is always a false Absa Premiership table, as long as Sundowns are left with a host of games in hand, the reigning champions delayed by their success in the Caf Champions League and their participation in the Fifa Club World Cup.

Currently, they have five games in hand over Chiefs, three in hand over Wits, five in hand on City and four in hand over SuperSport. Win all of those, and the league title will be a safe bet to be bagged by the Brazilians long before the end of the season, with the rest scrambling around for placings.

Now, games in hand are games in hand, and still have to be won, but Sundowns are winning them right now like they are picking low-hanging fruit off a tree. They have won six of their last seven in the league, and on Saturday they inflicted a painful defeat on Wits, the side tipped to be their greatest challengers.

Sundowns also beat Wits without their star man from last season, Khama Billiat. Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly have left the club for European climbs and it has barely touched sides in terms of the team from Tshwane’s dominance.

Mosimane has to take immense credit for this. Yes, he has the most expensive squad in the country, but money certainly does not guarantee success and he and his technical team have turned the Brazilians into a relentless winning machine.

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, who meet in Saturday’s Soweto derby, are most definitely no longer the dominant forces in the domestic game, though they are, of course, the best supported. 90 000 people will pack into FNB Stadium for an intriguing game, even if both of these sides, to my mind, are currently badly underachieving.

Chiefs have just about kept themselves in the title race but have not been convincing, and continue to be in dire need of a consistent striker.

Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, have their third coach this season in the form of Kjell Jonevret. He has impressed in his short time in the country and can gain the status of instant hero with a victory over Chiefs. Yet the reality is that Pirates are scrapping this season for a top eight finish and maybe a shot at the Nedbank Cup.

Sundowns, meanwhile, march on and on and on.