Cape Town City are a better team now than the one SuperSport United beat in 2017’s MTN8 final‚ Matsantsantsa coach Kaitano Tembo said ahead of Saturday’s decider at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
SuperSport and City meet again in the final of the MTN8 (kickoff 7pm) in a replay of 2018’s last match.
Matsantsantsa won 4-2 on penalties in 2017‚ also in Durban‚ after a 1-1 draw by the end of extra time.
That was the second cup final between the teams in the past two seasons‚ City having beaten SuperSport 2-1 in the 2016/2017 Telkom Knockout.
“It’s always hard to prepare against Cape Town City. All the cup finals they have played have been against us‚” Tembo said.
“It’s going to be a really tough game.
“I think [City coach] Benni McCarthy has done a wonderful job. They are a good team now.
“They are more organised‚ they play good possession‚ good buildup from the back‚ and they’ve also got speed upDu front where you’ve got Craig Matthews‚ and Ayanda Patosi is also doing well.”
City‚ in their third season of existence since John Comitis bought Mpumalanga Black Aces in May 2016 and relocated the team to Cape Town‚ have a strong all-round lineup this season.
If SuperSport prepare to subdue the unpredictable Patosi – scorer of a brace to earn City a 2-2 away draw against Orlando Pirates last week – midfielder Thabo Nodada‚ veteran Teko Modise or even anchor Roland Putsche are as capable of match-winning performances.
“We do plan for individual players, but what’s important at the same time is their structure‚” Tembo said.
“Individual players belong in a structure. If there’s no structure I don’t think individual players can prosper.
“But we know what Patosi can do on set plays, his deliveries are very good.
“And Nodada is very hardworking, his pressing is very good.”
SuperSport have inform attackers of their own capable of unlocking City‚ with Evans Rusike and Bradley Grobler having scored three goals in all competitions‚ and James Keene a brace in their 4-0 league win at home to Black Leopards on Sunday.
City clash will be tough, Tembo says
Cape Town City are a better team now than the one SuperSport United beat in 2017’s MTN8 final‚ Matsantsantsa coach Kaitano Tembo said ahead of Saturday’s decider at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
SuperSport and City meet again in the final of the MTN8 (kickoff 7pm) in a replay of 2018’s last match.
Matsantsantsa won 4-2 on penalties in 2017‚ also in Durban‚ after a 1-1 draw by the end of extra time.
That was the second cup final between the teams in the past two seasons‚ City having beaten SuperSport 2-1 in the 2016/2017 Telkom Knockout.
“It’s always hard to prepare against Cape Town City. All the cup finals they have played have been against us‚” Tembo said.
“It’s going to be a really tough game.
“I think [City coach] Benni McCarthy has done a wonderful job. They are a good team now.
“They are more organised‚ they play good possession‚ good buildup from the back‚ and they’ve also got speed upDu front where you’ve got Craig Matthews‚ and Ayanda Patosi is also doing well.”
City‚ in their third season of existence since John Comitis bought Mpumalanga Black Aces in May 2016 and relocated the team to Cape Town‚ have a strong all-round lineup this season.
If SuperSport prepare to subdue the unpredictable Patosi – scorer of a brace to earn City a 2-2 away draw against Orlando Pirates last week – midfielder Thabo Nodada‚ veteran Teko Modise or even anchor Roland Putsche are as capable of match-winning performances.
“We do plan for individual players, but what’s important at the same time is their structure‚” Tembo said.
“Individual players belong in a structure. If there’s no structure I don’t think individual players can prosper.
“But we know what Patosi can do on set plays, his deliveries are very good.
“And Nodada is very hardworking, his pressing is very good.”
SuperSport have inform attackers of their own capable of unlocking City‚ with Evans Rusike and Bradley Grobler having scored three goals in all competitions‚ and James Keene a brace in their 4-0 league win at home to Black Leopards on Sunday.
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