Chiefs' Hlanti on crucial Sundowns clash: 'Not a grudge match but it won’t be easy'

Kaizer Chiefs defender S’fiso Hlanti said their upcoming match against reigning champions and DStv Premiership runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns may not be a grudge match, but it’s a challenge they’re more than willing to face.

Sundowns are aiming to maintain their 11-game winning run against Chiefs when they face off at 20:00 at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Following Amakhosi’s 4-0 loss against AmaZulu in their previous league outing last Friday, Hlanti feels that the struggling team needs to remain positive ahead of their fixture against Downs.

The Brazilians head into the match 19 points ahead of Chiefs, having won the corresponding fixture 4-0 earlier this season.

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"I wouldn't say it's a grudge match but each and every game that you play is always competitive," Hlanti told reporters ahead of the game.

"Kaizer Chiefs is a brand itself, so it's a challenge that needs us as players to be united and to respect the game of football itself.

"It's not going to be an easy one but we are well prepared."

AmaKhosi are currently on a two-game winless run, with Hlanti believing that the team has to remain positive in order to bounce back.

"Losing two games in a row is not a great feeling. We know very well the test that we have among ourselves as players.

"I think, as senior players, we need to bring back the feeling and the atmosphere, because at the end of the day, it's not the end of the world.

"We know that we need to collect as much points as we can but, if things don't go the way we want, we need to accept it and move on even though it's not easy.

"We need to stay together and be positive."

Hlanti is set to make his return from a one-game suspension and stresses