- by Masivuye Mzimkhulu
- on 6 Aug, 2025
Mamelodi Sundowns—The Relentless Points Machine
Jose Riveiro doesn't sugarcoat it. Trying to catch up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL title race? It’s like facing a machine that keeps pumping out points week after week. No matter how good you play or how many matches you win, Sundowns just don’t let go. They grab the lead and simply refuse to slip. And it’s not just flair; they’re relentless and clinical, showing why they've become the club everyone else measures themselves against in South African football.
Look at their recent runs, and you’ll see why Riveiro feels the heat. Sundowns love to turn their games into one-way traffic, often snatching wins even when they’re not at their best. The pressure builds for teams like Orlando Pirates, who find themselves playing catch-up from early in the season. Riveiro admits it’s frustrating. “We are always chasing, trying to close the gap, but they just keep pulling away. It’s like you’re in a race and you never catch the guy in front, no matter how fast you think you’re going.”
The League’s Other Heavyweights—Where Is Strong Kaizer Chiefs?
While Sundowns keep stacking up trophies, Riveiro looks around and wonders what happened to the old days, when the league had several real title challengers. Here’s the awkward truth: the PSL feels unbalanced when one team dominates and others, especially traditional giants like Kaizer Chiefs, lose their edge. Riveiro isn’t shy about saying that a stronger Chiefs doesn’t just help their fans—it helps the whole league. “A league like ours needs big teams to perform,” he says.
Chiefs used to be a force, battling for titles, filling stadiums, and putting genuine pressure on teams at the top. But their recent struggles have turned them into also-rans, rather than the contenders everyone expects. Riveiro believes the league is better—more exciting and less predictable—when Chiefs are in the fight. “The rivalry, the big games, the drama. That’s what gets people watching. We need Chiefs to be dangerous again, to make the race less of a one-team march.”
Fans and neutrals alike crave a league where each weekend shakes up the standings. When one club pulls too far ahead, the suspense fizzles out. A Chiefs resurgence wouldn’t just make games like Pirates versus Chiefs explosive—it would inject life and urgency into every match, from Durban to Polokwane.
It’s clear Riveiro wants more than just an Orlando Pirates-Sundowns shootout. He wants a PSL where points are hard to find and every match matters. For now, though, he and his squad are stuck chasing the points machine, hoping for a stronger challenge from their Johannesburg neighbors.