Dortley vow Chiefs will show Sundowns ‘they are a big team’ – ‘Amakhosi can rise to occasion’

Kaizer Chiefs defender Rushwin Dortley is convinced the Glamour Boys will silence Mamelodi Sundowns this weekend.

The two teams will meet in the Premier Soccer League assignment to be staged at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium on Saturday. It will be the third time this season the sides are meeting, across all competitions.

While Masandawana have secured 51 points from 19 games, Amakhosi have managed to collect just 25 points from 18 matches.

A clean sheet for Chiefs against Sundowns?

In the month of February alone, Sundowns have scored 22 goals, but Dortley – whose team fell 4-1 in their last assignment against SuperSport United, believes they can stop Downs from scoring.

“This is a big game. They have already beaten us twice so we need to show that Kaizer Chiefs are also a big club and we can rise to the occasion on big stages. We also want to lift the spirits of our fans,” the Bafana international told the media.

“We kept a few clean sheets before losing 4-1 to SuperSport [they kept two in a row versus Stellenbosch and Chippa United], so as a defensive unit, we want to return to keeping clean sheets. To us as defenders and goalkeepers, keeping a clean sheet is like scoring a goal, so it’s important to defend hard.”

He further commented on the exit of Thatayaone Ditlhokwe to Libyan side Al-Ittihad, “TT isn’t a natural left-back but he did well in that position before leaving us. His departure isn’t a big deal because we have players who are natural left-backs and a few others who can step up if the coach calls upon them to do so. We have to adapt to life without TT now and I believe we will do that.”