The two games that Mamelodi Sundowns will play before club football pauses for the FIFA international break will carry personal significance for Rulani Mokwena.
Sundowns get going on Tuesday evening (19h30) at Loftus Versfeld Stadium with a Tshwane Derby tie against SuperSport United in the league.
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Then on Sunday, the champions will host Maritzburg United in the Last 16 of the Nedbank Cup at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
The points at stake against Matsatsantsa will take their count for the season to 48 from 18 games if they win and stretch their lead at the top to 15.
This will then leave The Brazilians in need of a maximum of 18 to wrap up their seventh title in a row.
On a personal note, wins in the next two games will take Mokwena to 50 wins in all competitions since taking over as the sole head coach.
Mokwena took over in October 2022 and has since then overseen 70 games, with 48 victories giving him a 69% winning mark.
Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Al Ahly, Al Hilal, Petro Luanda and Wydad Casablanca have all joined the long queue of those that have been beaten by Sundowns under Mokwena.
Only TP Mazembe, Wydad Casablanca and Stellenbosch FC have been able to overcome Sundowns in open play with Pirates’ and TS Galaxy’s wins coming courtesy of penalties.
Sead Ramovic – who has an ongoing feud with Mokwena – will feel the irritation and envy again as he is miles behind despite having held his Galaxy for a year longer.
Ramovic has only won 27 from 81 games, leaving him with a 33%-win mark.
Beyond aiming to reach the quickest half-century of wins in charge through the PSL era years, Mokwena has the DStv Premiership and African Football League titles to show.
In sight this season is another league title, the Nedbank Cup and the CAF Champions League.
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Sundowns’ league run this season has seen only four teams – Chiefs, Pirates, Sekhukhune United, and Stellenbosch – manage to score against them.
However, only Bucs have been able to score and not end up defeated.
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