Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi keen to prevent Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila pulling off a giant-killing act in their Premiership encounter tomorrow evening.
CAPE TOWN – The contrasts between the two clubs could not be greater. In the yellow and blue corner is a team bankrolled by one of the richest men on the continent and have the silverware to boast.
In the red corner is a team that could only manage to field a 14-man squad for their opening fixture of the season.
But yet its Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi who is wary of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) pulling off a giant-killing act in their Premiership encounter on Wednesday evening.
“It is very difficult (to face a team like TTM) because over the last two matches they have played different line-ups. We can see they still bringing players into the team. It is a team that doesn’t have too many patterns, so in terms of we don’t know what they do when they build up from the back, what do they in transitions, what do they do when lose the ball,” Mngqithi said.
Sundowns should certainly not fear anything TTM can possibly throw at them, especially after drubbing Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 in their season opener last Saturday.
However, Mngqithi still feels that TTM’s unknown factor favours them heavily, especially as they are currently playing without any fear.
“Most of their stuff is still off the cuff. It is not things that have been trained and worked very hard on because the players and the coach have not been together very long,” he said.
“Such teams can be very dangerous because you don’t know who to face in the next match. It is always difficult to play against teams like that.“
The Sundowns mentor, who is part of a trio of coaches also consisting of Steve Komphela and Rulani Mokwena guiding the Brazilians after the departure of Pitso Mosimane to Al Ahly, was particularly wary of the threat TTM pose at set-piece time.
“Ngele is a big factor in their team and Miguel Timm is also doing very well. It’s always very difficult to plan for a team like that and they are very good on set-pieces with Nonyane and them.
“Ngele usually takes them but surprisingly he has scored one with a header‚ which suggests that we must be aware what happens around the box and try to defend intelligently and not give too many free-kicks in that area.
“We are just planning mainly on individual files because the team as such does not have a clear tactical approach and we are trying their level best to understand what each and every individual can do against us. I think we have made those pointers in our analysis.”
“They strong in set-pieces, which suggests we have to be aware in and around the box and defend intelligently and not give away too many free-kicks.”
@ZaahierAdams
