But after doing his homework on National First Division side Cape Town All Stars, the team Sundowns will face in a Nedbank Cup last 32 match at Athlone Stadium tonight (20h00), the former Bafana Bafana coach realised that they will have a game on their hands against a side that enjoys passing the ball.
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It’s the type of opponents Mosimane enjoys playing against, those who he can go toe-to-toe with.
“We got footage [of All Stars]. My analysts have done what they always do, they have provided me with information,” Mosimane said earlier this week, as he looks to lead Sundowns to the Nedbank Cup title for the first time since 2015.
“They are a good team that wants to play. I thought it’s a First Division team that will be kicking the ball up and hoofing it there hoping to see what happens. But they don’t do that, they pass the ball well and they come up from the back. They have good centre-backs and they have a good left. They have a number eight who comes to pick up the ball and makes them play like ‘Shuga’ [Tiyani Mabunda]. They are well coached.
“They don’t just play rush football, so we are going to have a football match.”
Mosimane could give some of the fringe players a run tonight. The likes of George Lebese, Thokozani Sekotlong, Anele Ngcongca, Razak Brimah and new man Siyabonga Zulu will be hoping to feature.
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“You always want to give one or two players a chance, but you must also not get caught. You’ll do an Arsenal and then you lose the FA Cup and then you disrespect the tournament. I have history in the Nedbank Cup where teams like Black Leopards was always giving problems. Baroka became famous and that’s why they are where they are today. There’s always those stories in the Nedbank Cup, so we must be careful. I don’t want to be caught up in that situation, but I always want to give players a chance. So we must get the right balance.”
He added: “We want to win it. It’s a national cup, I like it.”
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