Royal AM boss Shauwn 'Mamkhize' Mkhize celebrates with her players after a win against Cape Town City in the Nedbank Cup. Royal AM boss Shauwn 'Mamkhize' Mkhize will be hoping to spoil Mamelodi Sundowns’ part when the two teams meet on Tuesday night. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media
While all eyes are on Mamelodi Sundowns’ unbeaten run as an historic DStv Premiership season comes to a close, Royal AM have more reasons than most to crash Masandawana’s “Invincibles” party.
Sundowns are currently on a 50-game unbeaten run in the league over two seasons that stretches to September 2022. But they are bidding to become the first team in the PSL era to go a whole season unbeaten, having won 20 matches and drawn six.
They have four matches to play before the season finishes - most teams have two or three - largely due to their participation in the African Football League and their deep run in the CAF Champions League.
Sundowns face 14th-placed Royal AM in the first of those remaining matches on Tuesday night, the second meeting between the two teams in space of four days after Sundowns beat the KwaZulu-Natal outfit 1-0 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
But while Sundowns are on this glorious run, Royal AM suddenly find themselves in the middle of a relegation battle after losing their last four matches, and winning just one of their last six league encounters.
After Cape Town Spurs’ automatic relegation was confirmed over the weekend, Royal AM are just two points above 15th-placed Richards Bay, who find themselves in the relegation-playoff position.
A win over Sundowns will give Shauwn 'Mamkhize' Mkhize’s team a five-point buffer over the Natal Rich Boyz with two games to play. They face Chippa United (home) and Moroka Swallows (away) in their last two fixtures.
The stakes coulnd’t be higher for Royal AM, but Sundowns, on the other hand, haven’t looked like slowing down, since clinching the DStv Premiership title with six games to go.
So, on Tuesday night, it’s a case of the wannabe “Invincibles” Sundowns against the desperate party poopers Royal AM.
@JohnGoliath82