Mngqithi: Magesi Can Pull Up The Surprise
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says he knows Magesi more than he knows his side and some players will be a big problem.
The Brazilians will lock in against Magesi in the final of the Carling Knockout at Toyota Stadium on Saturday (18:00).
This will be Mngqithi’s first final of the Carling Knockout as the head coach of Sundowns. The former Lamontville Golden Arrows coach believes that this game will be a tough one and has highlighted players that he thinks will be outstanding against his team.
Mngqithi highlighted players like the Zimbabwean goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, who has won three Man of the Match awards in the last three games of this competition leading up to the final. Chipezeze also won this competition before with Baroka FC in the 2018/19 season.
“Going to a Magesi team, I respect every opponent and I’m always scared of the opponents that are not favored and I’m always afraid of those because they always pull surprises,” Mngqithi said.
“I know their team probably as I know my team sometimes. As it is now, I can tell you their starting eleven and potential substitutes and everything that they can play in this match.
“I know how difficult it’s going to be to deal with that Wonderboy Makhubu upfront. I know Deolin Mekoa is going to cause a lot of problems with his left foot, Samuel Darpoh is a big problem in the midfield because he breaks down most of the opponent’s attacks.
“They’ve got Katlego Mashigo on the right who is running for every ball and very instrumental even assisting them when defensively. Then they’ve got Delano Abrahams as a right-back who I think is one of the most influential and underrated players in the PSL. They’ve got Edmore Chirambandare who is very lazy on the left but very dangerous offensively because when he comes out is a very important player for them.
“In their back four, you know you’ve got Lehlogonolo Mokone on the side on the left and there’s another John Mokone as a right center-back. You’ve got Chipezeze who is a very good goalkeeper and he works very hard, he knows what he’s doing and we know what to expect and just need to be focused.”
The Umzimkhulu-born coach also revealed that if they can win this game, it will create an injection of life ahead of the CAF Champions League group stages next week
“I think this win for me will probably be the same as any other wins that we’ve had in every match that we’ve played,” he said. “I never want to downplay any match or to hype any match because in football I’ve learned that you must just respect every match as it is, regardless of whether it’s a cup final, it’s a friendly and it’s what-what because you repeatedly do will become.
“Good habits of winning every match help you to win against an underdogs or big teams. It’s very important to develop habits of trying to win every match that you play because it helps you not to always deal with issues whether they are extrinsic or intrinsic in terms of motivation.
“You must just fight to win the match that is in front of you. I think that helps because that habit will also help us to go into a Champions League match with a little bit more confidence, and a little bit more desire. And maybe a little bit more in terms of having developed to that winning mentality and push to that level of even winning a Cup match or a Cup final.”
The Brazilians will face the Congolese club AS Maniema Union on Tuesday next week in their first game of the group stages in the CAF Champions League at Loftus Stadium.
Robin-Duke is in Bloemfontein courtesy of Primo Sports
