JOHANNESBURG - Denis Onyango maintains that Mamelodi Sundowns will defend their Absa Premiership title when this season comes to an end.
Speaking at the PSL offices in Parktown, where Onyango was announced Player of the month for April on Monday, the reigning Caf Player of the Year based in Africa, said he hoped his side would pull of a miraculous finish, as the league is now Bidvest Wits' to lose.
Sundowns will host league strugglers Baroka FC on Wednesday night at Lucas Moripe Stadium (kick-off 7.30pm), while Wits travel to Bethlehem for their encounter against Free State Stars on the very same evening and time.
“And that’s the thing about football; you’ll never know where you are going to drop points in any of your remaining matches,” Onyango, whose side is just three points behind table-toppers Wits on 54 points, said. “If you look at our game against Platinum Stars, we actually went into that game thinking that we were going to win it. We made two mistakes (at the back) which actually cost us the match.
“(Looking at Wits), anything is possible in their case,” Onyango added. “We know that they struggle each time they travel (to Bethlehem) for their matches against Free State Stars. But then again, coach Gavin (Hunt) is a very experienced person when it comes to winning the league title. I’ve worked with him for three years before (at SuperSport United) and he’s the type of person who knows how keep the lead, once he’s on top. It’s all in their hands now. But if we get a half a chance, then we are the ones who’ll end up winning it.”
Onyango stressed that everyone at Sundowns was fired up to finish without defeat in their remaining matches, so as to increase their chances of defending their league title.
“It’s very difficult to chase at this stage of the season with these last remaining matches,” Onyango said. “They’ve (Wits) got experienced players like Daine Klate and (Cuthbert) Malajila, to mention a few, who can help them to challenge for the league title.
"We just have to remain focused and challenge for a top finish so that we can go back to the Champions League again. The game we played against them should have decided the league for us. But, unfortunately, things didn’t go our way, we let it slip.”
“It’s good to win individual awards but at the same time (accolades) are much sweeter when you win them as a team,” Onyango added.
"The good thing about this team is that we have the ability to score goals. However, if we concede, that makes it a bit difficult for the guys up front to do the job for us. We have about three more league games, and my focus is now centred on making sure that I maintain a clean sheet in all of them.”
Meanwhile, Onyango said he was expecting a difficult encounter against Baroka, as they are also a side desperate for points.
However, Onyango expressed that his side knew exactly what to do in this encounter, so that they can see themselves coming out with the required result.
“We know how dangerous they are, especially in the attacking third,” Onyango said of Baroka. “But we also know of their weaknesses at the back as well. I truly believe that we have the potential to come out with the desired result, difficult it may be.”