Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela and his Mamelodi Sundowns counterpart Pitso Mosimane sparred over the unwanted underdog tag at their pre-match press conference on Thursday for Saturday’s Absa Premiership match-up.
On Wednesday Mosimane‚ winning the PSL’s coach of the month award for February‚ had declared Chiefs favourites for a title-crucial fixture at FNB Stadium.
He was at it again sitting alongside his Chiefs counterpart Komphela at a press conference in Houghton‚ though Mosimane did have a little more than his normal glint in his eye while he said: “We are the underdogs at this point in time.
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“Because Kaizer Chiefs have been doing better than us in the league. If you check the last seven or eight games‚ they have not lost. There was a stage where they won five in a row.
“And we envy them and wish we could win five in a row too. And they have drawn three recently‚ but we have drawn two and lost one. So we are not in a very good space at the moment.
“I understand that Chiefs’ medical room is empty and we have a lot of injuries.
“And obviously there are the number of games that we have to come back from in Caf [the Champions League] and the games we have had to catch up‚ and they have fresh legs.
- Mosimane plays mind games with Komphela and says Chiefs will start as favourites against SundownsKaizer Chiefs are the favourites in Saturday night’s huge Absa Premiership game‚ Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach Pitso Mosimane proclaimed in what must surely have been a beginning of the mind-games ahead of the match at FNB Stadium.
“So this is not the right time for us to play them.”
Komphela was having none of it.
“I beg to differ. Underdogs in what sense?” Chiefs’ coach asked in disbelief‚ though matching Mosimane’s wry grin.
“Underdogs are not defined on a sprint.
“Underdog is such a dangerous tag because the universe favours the underdogs.
“So perhaps Mr Mosimane is seeking some favour from some divine power.
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“But that they are underdogs – we will never abide by that. We give them the respect that they deserve. Their achievements are clear. We just have to give our best with the utmost humility.”
Fourth-placed African Champions Sundowns have 34 points from 17 games and can deal a significant blow to Chiefs' PSL title chances. Amakhosi have 36 points from 21 games.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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