Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafanan Bafana midfielder Teko Modise has backed Lucas Ribeiro to shine, in the Brazilians’ Betway Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs in Pretoria on Saturday. Kick-off is at 3.30pm.
The match at Lucas Moripe Stadium is a sellout, and Sundowns are the heavy favourites for good reason.
Though they have played four games more than the second-placed Orlando Pirates, Sundowns have amassed a 15-point lead at the top of the table.
Chiefs, meanwhile, are down in eighth place. In fact, Chiefs have less than half the total number of points of Sundowns as the table toppers have 51 and the AmaKhosi 25.
'Proven himself'
In his column for Hollywoodbets Sports, Modise wrote: “Lucas Ribeiro will be eager to showcase his talent and make his mark in such a high-stakes clash.
“I think Ribeiro has proven himself and now it’s just a matter of what other individual accolades he can further win.”
The 42-year-old Modise went on to say that he believed that Ribeiro could win both the Footballer of the Season and PSL Golden Boot awards.
“These are the types of games that place a player into those types of conversations.
“If you are not already in that conversation, match-winning performances in the big games prove to all why you belong in these types of conversations, because Saturday’s encounter is a huge game, it’s a sold-out affair.”
Though Chiefs last won the league way back in the 2015/2016 season, Modise insisted there was still a strong rivalry between the teams.
“These are two teams that have always enjoyed a rivalry that has intensified in terms of winning the league and who was the dominant force in South African football.
“It’s been the topic whenever Mamelodi Sundowns play against one of the big teams.”