CAPE TOWN – Cape Town City can go second in the PSL standings if they beat Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus on Wednesday (7.30pm kickoff).
City are currently in fourth place on 33 points, while the Brazilians lie third on 36 points having played a game less.
Wits continue to set the pace on 38 points and lead Orlando Pirates by two.
City saw off bottom-placed Maritzburg United 3-2 at Athlone Stadium on Saturday while 10-man Sundowns had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Wits, their ninth stalemate from 19 games.
City coach Benni McCarthy says his team are ready to mix it up with Sundowns.
“We play them twice inside a week and it’s going to be interesting to see how things pan out. They have the best players in the country, play the way we try and play, so it should be a good one and we go to them believing we can claim all the points on offer,” McCarthy said.
Cape Town City head coach Benni McCarthy reacts during the game against Maritzburg United at Athlone Stadium on Saturday. Photo: Luigi Bennett/BackpagePix
City have scored 32 goals in 20 games, the most in the league. Worrying though is their inability to put away lower-placed teams on a consistent basis.
How different things would have looked for the Capetonians had they beaten instead of drawn with Chippa United and Baroka FC and then losing 1-0 to AmaZulu after dominating that encounter for large chunks.
That loss ended a six-game unbeaten run, but a return to winning ways has lifted spirits in the camp.
The win over Maritzburg had to be fought for, says McCarthy.
“We then go 3-1 through Riyaad Norodien and the result should be a foregone conclusion. But it turned out not to be, they pull one back and now we have to work hard to close things out.
We were the better side no questioning that, but once again we made life difficult for ourselves,” McCarthy said.
Mike de Bruyn
Cape Times