The Brazilians will be eager to continue their good start to the season, but it will be difficult against a side who they have failed to beat in three attempts last season.
Dikwena beat the Chloorkop based side 1-0 in the corresponding fixture last season before holding them to a draw in the reverse fixture and then knocking them out in the quarterfinal stage of the Nedbank Cup.
Stars have also made a good start to the season, notably beating Bidvest Wits 4-2 in the first leg of the MTN8 semifinals on the weekend.
Downs fullback Ramahlwe Mphahlele predicts a tough encounter against the Rustenburg outfit who are given the freedom to play their football by their coach.
“It is going to be a very difficult match against a side who always up their game against us. They [Dikwena] work hard, and are given the freedom to express themselves and thus we will have to work hard to win on the day,” said Mphahlele.
“We are expecting them to come at us, because that is the way they play. They are on a good run of form, they are winning matches so we will have to do our best to get the win.
The 23-year old also added that their host of new players have settled well into the club and that he as well as the players who were with the club last season had a responsibility to let the new faces feel at home.
“It was up to us who were here last season to make them [the new players] feel at home, and so form a bond that will ultimately see us achieve success with the club,” added Mphahlele.
Platinum Stars midfielder Tintswalo Tshabalala expressed that nothing can stop the Rustenburg outfit at the moment, adding that he feels Stars will be better prepared for the game in midweek.
“I think the way we prepared for this game, nothing can stop us. We are fitter than Sundowns I feel and we are at the top of our game,” said Tshabalala.
The 30-year-old added that the host of new faces brought into the Brazilians squad still need time to gel and this will count as a massive advantage to his side.
“The new players in their [Sundowns] squad still need time to gel, they don’t know each other very well, so it comes as a huge advantage to us that we are playing them so early in the season,” added Tshabalala.
“We are still expecting a tough game though, but we are confident. You can expect us to attack like we always do, that is our style of play.”
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