A well-rested SuperSport United travel to the Mother City on Friday evening with revenge on their minds as they take on a smarting Cape Town City in an Absa Premiership clash at the Cape Town Stadium.
City are livid that they were forced to play a league fixture on Tuesday at home to Platinum Stars that resulted in a 4-0 mauling.
The club blamed physical and mental fatigue following their Telkom Knockout final success over SuperSport in Polokwane days before.
By contrast‚ Matsatsantsa have had the week off to lick their wounds and rest any tired bodies‚ and so will likely go into this game as favourites.
City coach Eric Tinkler was quick to write off the Stars humiliation as a once-off and says his side will be much better prepared come Friday.
“We have the opportunity‚ because we played them recently‚ to show the players that game‚ to show them how we hurt them and where they could have hurt us‚ so that they prepare themselves in the right way‚” Tinkler said.
“It’s going to be a very tough game‚ but I think the players will definitely be better prepared‚ both physically and mentally.
“This loss [against Stars] was a mental problem I think‚ not so much a physical one.
"Yes‚ the travel was long‚ hard and arduous‚ but there were a lot of emotions around the whole trip and the return.
“I think that effected the players in the way they performed.
"I have never seen so many players perform that bad in my life.”
City will likely be without striker Lehlohonolo Majoro again as he nurses a calf problem‚ while Ghana defender Joseph Adjei is suspended after a red card against Stars.
That will mean a recall for Robyn Johannes alongside Tsepo Gumede in the heart of the defence‚ with Thamsanqa Mkhize also likely to return at right-back.
The Stars loss ended a run of nine wins and a draw for City‚ who days earlier had halted SuperSport’s 14-game unbeaten surge in the Telkom Knockout final.
Matsatsantsa coach Stuart Baxter must make a decision over whether to field Jeremy Brockie‚ who limped out of the final with ligament damage that he had hoped to be able to play through.
With the festive season break on the horizon the temptation will be to rest him‚ but this would be a massive three points for SuperSport that will take them joint top of the table.
If they can stay there through the festive season break‚ they will go into the New Year confident that their title charge is on track.
- TMG Digital
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