Coach Manqoba Previews Marumo Gallants Meeting

Mamelodi Sundowns are gearing up to travel to Limpopo for their DStv Premiership meeting with Marumo Gallants on Sunday at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in the final game before the international break.

Masandawana have enjoyed a great run of form , after their midweek victory, the champions set a new record in the Premier Soccer League for having the most successive clean sheets in domestic league competition. Speaking ahead of the game Co-Coach Manqoba Mngqithi who is keeping his eyes on the prize without undermining his opponent’s that recently earned a spot in the CAF Confederations Cup group stages.

“We are coming from a very difficult match just at the back of another complex match at the MTN8 and now we are playing against a team that many people will think it’s a very easy team to go by,  but from what one has seen, we are playing a very complex team, with a lot of very decisive players that can turn the game around, no wonder it’s the team that has qualified for the next stage of the Confederations Cup after beating Vita away from home. We are going into this match knowing very well that we are playing against a very complex side that has a lot of intricacy in their play and some of the players that they have in certain departments.”

Gallants, who are regarded as the new kids on the block in the DStv Premiership, are positioned second last bottom of the log with only one game won. Mngqithi explained the structure of the Limpopo based team and cautioned against playing according to log positioning. Coach Manqoba said, “We have looked at them, we know their structure – the two center backs, Lehlohonolo Nonyane being the most influential one with his left foot, creating a lot of good situations for his team with his passing game. Miguel Timm, another influential player in that team, always the one initiating build ups in that first diamond with his goalkeeper and the two center backs.”

“You also have to worry about players like Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, who normally plays as an 8 or a 10, hardworking, very dangerous in and around the box as well. Then you also have a free kick specialist Thabo Mnyamane, who plays in an inverted position, he plays on the right but he’s left footed, whenever given the time to cut in he’s got ability to crack it. There’s Sede Dion who we played against last season in the Champions League (Jwaneng Galaxy) from Botswana, very hard working and combative and hard running. It’s a very deadly team like I’m saying, we know what to expect, we are going into the match knowing very well that the log positioning might not mean anything in this match, we just have to focus more on what we will be facing on the day and try to minimize the mistakes because they can punish us.”

Bafana Ba Style have adopted a dominant style of play in their football culture as well as a winning mentality that has seen them win their league game days after lifting a Cup and setting new standards.

“The situation that we find ourselves in is a very intricate one because normally players tend to think after winning a trophy that even if they can have a little bit of form they might not be punished, but at Sundowns it’s a different story, we go to every match with the mentality to win it, the humility that the game requires and the respect that the opposition requires. We never take any game for granted, we plan according to what we see, we have our principles that we always want to attach in our games, like our buildup schemes, our defensive structures and principles, our counter pressing and high press. At times when the need to break the press arises, more especially with the ability of Washington Arubi’s long kick we have to be aware of the spaces behind you.” Expressed Coach Manqoba.

The Brazilians Coach concluded with optimism and said: “There’s a lot of other elements in the game that we must take care of in our structure and make sure that we go into the match knowing very well what to expect and knowing very well the challenges that we can encounter. One is forever optimistic as a result of the way in which our players are working and the hunger that they are showing in each and every match, we are forever looking forward to very good performances from the group.”

Mamelodi Sundowns will do battle with Marumo Gallants on Sunday at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday, kick off is 17h30. Watch the game live on SuperSport channel 202.