Mamelodi Sundowns DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] head coach Tiro van Rooyen has weighed in on the intensifying title race as his side looks to chase down rivals Orlando Pirates in the reserve league.
Currently, Masandawana occupy second place on the DDC table with 42 points after 20 matches. The Chloorkop-based outfit finds itself three points behind log leaders Pirates, who hold a game in hand—giving the Buccaneers a distinct advantage in the race for the title.
On Saturday, 21 February, Bafana Ba Style secured a 3-1 win over TS Galaxy at Lucas Moripe Stadium. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers were held to a 1-1 draw by Polokwane City FC at the UJ Soweto Campus.
This victory serves as a massive opportunity for Sundowns to apply pressure at the summit. Van Rooyen remains optimistic about his side’s chances, citing the unpredictable nature of the beautiful game.
‘WE JUST HAVE TO DO OUR PART’: Tiro van Rooyen
The coach emphasised that the team’s primary focus must remain on their own performance rather than watching how their rivals are playing. He went on to state that there are 10 games remaining, and they must treat every fixture as a cup final if they hope to bring the DDC silverware back to Chloorkop.
“There is still a lot of football to play with 11 games remaining, and we must take every one of them seriously. Football is a marathon—you never know what can happen,” Tiro told FARPost.
“We have to focus on our own performance. We aren’t competing with anyone but ourselves, so we must stop dropping points. It isn’t that the league has become more difficult; it’s that we have let ourselves down, and we need to fix that.”
RELATED STORY: Malibongwe Khoza drops to DDC; Sundowns coach explains why