Brilliant Billiat in top form
Attacking midfielder is banging in the goals during Downs’ unbeaten run
IT’S NOT just the beautiful football that shows the joy in the Mamelodi Sundowns camp but also the 14-match unbeaten run in all competitions and even their celebrations whenever they score.
Khama Billiat has been a reason for four of those celebrations in the Absa Premiership, scoring three goals in the club’s last four matches.
The last of those goals from Billiat, in the 2-1 win over University of Pretoria at Lucas Moripe Stadium, helped the Brazilians regain the top spot in the Premiership.
“It feels good, these goals are giving me the confidence that I need to carry on,” Billiat said.
“I want to keep scoring. But as a team we are enjoying football. That’s what has brought about my good form. We have great understanding in the team. We understand each other well, from the back right up to the front. We are enjoying football and I hope this is here to stay.”
The outfit will look to keep enjoying their football when they play in another Tshwane derby against SuperSport United in Atteridgeville on Saturday night.
It’s one of the most entertaining derbies in the country where goals are invariably in abundance.
“It’s very tough (to play them back-to-back) because these different derbies need different approaches and take something different out of the players,” Billiat said.
“One is more of a psychological battle and the other is a gruelling match. We have to stay focused. There isn’t time to celebrate being at the top because it doesn’t mean anything at this stage.”
The reason why Sundowns won’t be celebrating being on top is because they could be second when they play Matsatsantsa with Bidvest Wits hosting Polokwane City at Bidvest Stadium on Friday. The battle for top spot has been a “roller-coaster” ride, as Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane described it, with the Brazilians, Mpumalanga Black Aces and Wits in the running.
This has made the race for the ultimate prize an exciting spectacle where no club wants to drop points and the Brazilians’ 11-match unbeaten run in the league has helped with that.
Included in their 14-game unbeaten run is a Telkom Knockout triumph so they already have something to show for it.
But that hasn’t killed their drive. Sundowns have a huge appetite for success, fuelled by the millions that club president Patrice Motsepe pumps into the outfit to ensure that they get the best players in the country. Mosimane has been enjoying that, able to field a consistent starting XI in his matches which has seen the outfit look the part to claim a record seventh league title.
“The unbeaten run gives us more pressure to continue with that good run but importantly it motivates us to keep that record as long as we can,” Billiat said.
“We have set our goals. We are focusing on that. We know what we want and we will work hard to achieve that. We are professional enough to not be easily side-tracked. It’s good that we already have the Telkom Knockout but that’s not all we want. We want more.”