Chiefs are always favourites when playing Sundowns – Kekana
Hlompho Kekana has claimed that Mamelodi Sundowns are never the favourites to win when they play Kaizer Chiefs.
Hlompho Kekana of Mamelodi Sundowns (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
The two teams meet in the Absa Premiership tonight at Loftus Versfeld, and though many would pick Masandawana to win, given the form of the two sides in recent times, the Sundowns captain would clearly beg to differ.
“It is tricky playing Chiefs, they are a big club in South Africa and playing them is always a motivation for my team,” said Kekana.
“We are always underdogs (when we play Chiefs), the expectations are always less high. We are looking forward to playing them.”
Pitso Mosimane’s trophy haul at Mamelodi Sundowns, compared to that achieved by Steve Komphela since he arrived at Chiefs, certainly provides a counter to this argument. Mosimane has won two league titles, a Caf Champions League, the Nedbank Cup and the Telkom Knockout, while Komphela has won absolutely nothing of note.
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Sundowns chairman Patrice Motsepe certainly seems content with Mosimane’s work, saying ahead of tonight’s encounter that he wants him to become the Sir Alex Ferguson of Sundowns.
“When I bought Sundowns, the object was always to have a management or a technical team that can be with the club for as many years as possible … there is nothing that would please me more than for Pitso to spend many years at Sundowns.
“I want Pitso to become, I don’t want to say the Arsene Wenger of Mamelodi Sundowns, because Wenger has got challenges. I have got nephews who favour Barcelona and one of them likes Arsenal, he says he doesn’t know when Wenger is going to leave.
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“Pitso, in South Africa, I would like him to become a Sir Alex Ferguson.”
Chiefs have their injury worries heading into this game, particularly in defence, where Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Lorenzo Gordinho, Tsepo Masilela and Kgotso Moleko are all out, though Erick Mathoho should return at centreback after suspension.
Sundowns, meanwhile, have no such worries, and a buoyant attack, after Sibusiso Vilakazi, Themba Zwane and Percy Tau all found the net for Bafana Bafana in the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso at the FNB Stadium.
