Retired South African legend Andile Jali has weighed in on this season’s Betway Premiership title race between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
The two are currently involved in a tight race with defending champions Sundowns enjoying top spot on the Betway Premiership table with 56 points, two points away from the Buccaneers both from 23 outings.
Pirates have finished second behind Sundwons in the last three seasons but haven’t been as close as they are this time around points wise. Jali has won the championship with both sides, two with the Sea Robbers and four with the Brazilians.
He spoke to iDiski Times senior journalist Matshelane Mamabolo in edition 250 of the newspaper where he said Sundowns know how it is to be in the position they are in, however Pirates are going to have to focus, fight tooth and nail in the race if they want to be successful.
“Already, you can see, Sundowns are used to being in these situations, and Pirates are not,” Jali told iDiski Times.
“I’ve said it before that these Pirates players now need to say, ‘It is about what we want!’ If they want it more, then they can get it. They should not be thinking now that the supporters are there for them and everyone is supporting them, then they are automatically going to win it.
“Yes, they are going to their home stadium, and they get the big numbers [of fans], but that’s not enough. They still have to work for it. No one is going to give it to you just like that. You have to fight. So, if they don’t fight, like what happened when they played Siwelele. They drew that match, and that draw made them stressed again because Sundowns beat Chippa and went up with two points ahead.
“So that thing is going to keep on stressing them. But if they say, we don’t care about what is happening at Sundowns, we are only worried about us, I then think they can push Sundowns until the end of the season.”
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