Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela has signalled the importance of mental strength as his side prepare to step into the Kaizer Chiefs cauldron in the Carling Knockout Cup.
The Brazilians will make the short trip to the FNB Stadium for a titanic clash with the Amakhosi (6pm kick-off), the second meeting between the two clubs already this season.
This clash is undoubtedly the marquee fixture for the quarter-final stage and has certainly drawn the necessary attention.
The tickets for this match are expected to be sold out, with the Premier Soccer League having already confirmed on Tuesday that 75% of the venue has been sold.
With the 94 736-capacity Calabash ready to welcome two powerhouses of South African football, pressure will shift to the players as soon as the referee’s whistle sounds.
Komphela, who stepped in for the absent head coach Manqoba Mngqithi at the pre-match press conference in Johannesburg yesterday, spoke about the importance of his squad being up for the occasion.
With Chiefs selling out stadiums up and down the country, the former Amakhosi mentor felt his group’s big match temperament would need to be worked on under what is expected to be hostile grounds.
“I’m sure you saw them when they played SuperSport in Polokwane, what they did against Magesi in their last match, and you still remember what happened when we played at FNB, it’s going to be packed... That stadium will be gold and black and yellow,” he said.
“So, you have to perform and players get affected in such environments, and big players love such environments and players who get intimidated.
“The environment swallows them, so we just need to work on more than just tactical and technical.
“It’s going to be psychological as well, and about having the nerve to perform under 100 000 people.”
A strong performance and strong win at Loftus! 🫡#Sundowns #BetwayPrem #RabatsenaGape pic.twitter.com/eGptUGSGzL
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) October 31, 2024
The last time Sundowns visited the FNB Stadium, they not only hurried off the pitch with bottles thrown at them, but with all three points after beating Chiefs in a league encounter.
Although the Chloorkop-based club have enjoyed most of the success in the fixture recently by winning four of the last five encounters, Komphela feels their most recent meeting with new Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi is their best bet for analysis.
He acknowledged the shift in spirit the Tunisian has brought to the club, but also felt the Glamour Boys could be exposed with some of their frailties in this transition period.
“Our point of reference will be the match we’ve already played, and we’ll need to do a swot analysis. We need to look at areas where we did very well, and if those opportunities still exist with the current set-up at Kaizer Chiefs – and then you continue to take advantage. You look at what you benefited from in the last match,” Komphela stated.
Midfielder Bathusi Aubaas spoke to us straight after last night's resounding win in front of our home support! 🗣#Sundowns #BetwayPrem #RabatsenaGape pic.twitter.com/hE3ABR9iQb
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) October 31, 2024
“I don’t think it would be professional of me to come here and do an assessment of our opponents.
“They do have their strengths and weaknesses, but there has been a significant element of belief, positivity, aura and energy and that comes as a result of the way they see things unfolding.”