Baxter: It is still going to get tougher
SuperSport United coach Stuart Baxter says the opening stages of the Caf Confederation Cup are the most challenging, but admits the going gets tougher when his team advances further in the competition.
Matsatsantsa A Pitori edged Madagascan side Elgeco Plus to go past the first round of the continental competition where they will face Sudan side Al-Ahly Shendi in a two-legged affair in March.
“The early rounds of the Caf tournaments are the banana scheme rounds. Mamelodi Sundowns found out, and they scheduled in line of it because the further you go, the more understanding you get from the Premier Soccer League about moving games, the more you get from the players. They say; hey, we can actually go far here.
“So these ones are more difficult very often. As you advance, you’ve put more games behind you in the league. The schedule starts to lighten. You can go behind with your best team like Sundowns did more often. You don’t have to shuffle the pack every time. That is why the early rounds are the banana schemes,” Baxter said.
“Yes they will get a bit more difficult, but we will be up for a little bit more, we will be able to pick a settled team and then we’ve got to see if we can keep on picking up victories,” the former Kaizer Chiefs mentor added.
The capital city side are in action at home to top-eight challengers Maritzburg United on Wednesday evening where they will seek to stretch their 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions, while their counterpart will be searching for their first victory after going winless in the last four outings.
