Davids calls for mental strength from Pirates players against Simba

Orlando Pirates co-coach Fadlu Davids says his charges need to be mentally strong when they go up against Simba SC in the quarter-finals of the Caf Confederation Cup at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania on Sunday.

The Buccaneers are facing a Simba side, which is expected to see their fans filling up the stadium in their quest to get a good start in the first leg of this stage.

“When you are facing a full stadium and you are facing an opponent where they have 60 000 fans behind them, we have to play football and at moments you get crowd frustrated and they turn against their team.

Its about us looking after the ball, its about us playing our football. Our players have to be mentally strong,” said Davids.

“Sometimes a small opportunity can make the crowd erupt and you think you are under pressure, but you are not.

“You have to control your thinking, play to the tactical instructions and not get overwhelmed by the crowd.”

The south Africans have reached this phase of the continental tournament for the second season in a row. In the last campaign, the Soweto giants ended up being knocked out of the competition by Morocco based club Raja Casablanca.

This time around, they will be eager to go far in the tournament, with having done very well in the group stages. Pirates won four games, while losing one game and registering one draw.