Arthur Zwane warns title race could shift as Mamelodi Sundowns get busy

Usuthu fell 2-0 to the reigning champions at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday night, despite a spirited first-half display, with goals coming from Iqraam Rayners and Tashreeq Matthews.

The KZN side finished sixth last season, missing president Sandile Zungu’s public target of a top-four finish, and Zwane believes his team showed encouraging signs against The Brazilians but admits it will take a few more months to truly measure the gap.

"I think if you were to start the squad from fresh, in terms of bringing in new players, it's always going to be difficult – it depends who you were competing with last season," said Zwane.

"Obviously, right now, Sundowns were probably playing in third gear, so we also have to be smart if we are to compete with Sundowns – you have to capitalise, how? Sundowns will play Champions League, Sundowns players in the national team, there will be injuries.

"Today, actually, we showed that with less quality, we can compete, especially in the first half, but in the second half it was a case of consistency.

"And since I've been with AmaZulu, this is my third game losing to Sundowns, and we lose the same [conceding late in the match], but until our players get to that level, the more they play, the more they will grow and be better, and get to Sundowns' level of quality."

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The former Kaizer Chiefs winger adds that there’s no way fatigue won’t catch up with the Sundowns’ squad following their FIFA Club World Cup exploits late into June.

"It's going to be tough because Sundowns were playing the Club World Cup, and at some point their players will get tired – I'm talking from the players' perspective, because I played and I know," he added.

"If you can play football for four years with the same pace, demands, travelling and all that – it's unlike in Europe, when they travel, its two, three of four hours, but for Sundowns, and I know they can charter [flights], but you have to travel for 7-8 hours sometimes.

"So we just have to capitalise on that, but once again, they are a top team, there's no doubt about it. It's good for South African football, and we have to gauge ourselves and get closer, so we learned a thing or two today."