Mamelodi Sundowns’ goalless draw with Richards Bay last Sunday was the first time Miguel Cardoso’s team has gone without a victory in consecutive matches during the Portuguese tactician’s tenure.

Sundowns had, of course, also played to a 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch mid-week, which resulted in the champions leaving four valuable Betway Premiership points on the table.

The consequence is that Sundowns have failed to overtake Orlando Pirates at the top of the table, with the Buccaneers holding onto a slender one-point lead, despite themselves being held to a stalemate in the Soweto derby.

Sundowns still have a game in hand on Pirates, but the pressure has certainly been ramped up on the Brazilians to return to winning ways when they face Polokwane City at the Seshego Stadium on Wednesday. It will be no easy task, with “Rise and Shine” filled with confidence after their morale-boosting victory over Stellenbosch over the weekend.

Bafana Bafana right-back Khuliso Mudau believes the key to Sundowns returning to winning ways is by shutting out the growing outside noise.

“We're taking one game at a time. We're not pushing ourselves under pressure,” Mudau said. “I think it's very important in a situation like this to calm down and focus more on ourselves, not on other things that are happening.

“Obviously, with Polokwane City, I think it's going to be a difficult game, to be honest, but I believe everyone is ready for the game tomorrow. It's going to be a tough one, but we have to go there and make sure that we make ourselves, our supporters, and our families back home happy. Because it's very important. I mean, we played two draws in a row. It's unlike us, but, yeah.”

Due to Sundowns’ involvement in the CAF Champions League final, they will, in fact, be playing Polokwane City back-to-back in the Premiership.

The first instalment is in Limpopo on Wednesday with the 15,000-capacity Seshego Stadium, situated in the heart of the Seshego township, set to be transformed into a cauldron—much like Sundowns experienced last Sunday when they faced Richards Bay at a sold-out Umhlathuze Sports Complex.

Mudau, though, promised the Masandawana will be going full tilt on the road before the return fixture at Fortress Loftus on Sunday.

“There's no reserving yourself at Sundowns. We want to win every match,” he said. “Obviously, playing them two times home and away, I mean, it's going to be an advantage because they’re playing at home. They're coming to Loftus also. It won't be nice. It's going to be difficult for both sides.”

Cardoso will have some pondering to do about his starting line-up after ace Colombian striker Brayan Leon missed the Richards Bay clash due to injury, while Brazilian Arthur Sales also limped off against the Natal Rich Boyz.

There was at least some positive news for Sundowns, as Namibian hitman Peter Shalulile made his return to action off the bench in KwaZulu-Natal after two months on the sidelines.

This story was originally posted by IOL