It was not a happy feeling for Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi when his team drew goalless with Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 semi-final first leg match at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto last month.
Now Mngqithi wants the Brazilians to turn things around when they face the Buccaneers in the second leg at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday (15h30).
“When we did not win in Orlando, we did not feel good. We go to every match with one thing in mind to make sure we dominate,” Mngqithi said.
That Pirates have started scoring goals has not escaped Mngqithi’s mind ahead of this important clash. Pirates have scored three times in their last two matches.
“I must say we are playing a very tough match against a team that has improved in leaps and bounds. A team that made sure we didn’t score in their backyard, which makes this assignment a little bit tough for both teams because we know what Pirates is capable of,” Mngqithi said.
“But the most interesting thing is that the team has not been scoring enough. Since they changed the shape a little bit in the previous match then they created a lot of opportunities. That presents a new case now. All along they had been playing with three centre backs and this time around they felt they needed a little bit of a punch.”
Even though he’s wary of the Buccaneers, Mngqithi is confident of what the Tshwane giants can do on the field.
“We believe we’ve got a team that is capable of coming out of this match with a result. Obviously, with a lot of humility and respect,” he said.
“We are not going to take this game for granted. We know the stakes are high. As Sundowns, every game we play we always go to that match with a mentality to win.”
