Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena admits Moroka Swallows will be a “very tough” team to beat when the two sides square off in their MTN8 opener.
The Brazilians will take on the Dube Birds in the quarter-finals of the top eight competitions when they meet at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
Sundowns come into this fixture off the back of a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the DStv Premiership when Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Neo Maema cancelled out Ashley Du Preez’s 84th minute equaliser.
Swallows, meanwhile, fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City in their previous game after conceding a goal by Taahir Goedeman at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.
Mokwena says his side are ready for a difficult match against Swallows but he insists they are well prepared for the encounter.
“We are facing a coach whom we know very well and who is in charge of a team that is very tough to beat. They are a strong side with good players and we are ready to set aside any obstacles to give our best. Football ultimately belongs to the players because they are the ones on the pitch. We have to do the right things at the right time to succeed against our opponents,” Mokwena told his club’s official website.
“The team deserves significant credit for the effort they have displayed thus far. I am truly excited by the way several players have elevated their game and how seamlessly the new signings have become part of the team. We expect that these players continue to work as a unit and it can only get better from here. We have to keep striving to improve our performances and the results,” states Coach Rulani.
“We find ourselves in a space where there is pressure to win every game, considering that we operate within a high-performance environment. Nevertheless, this pressure is what drives us to continually improve and strive for excellence. Our focus is on maintaining consistency and delivering our best on every occasion. The experience gained from the previous season serves as a valuable lesson and we are determined to take each game as it comes,” said the Bafana Ba Style coach.
Photo by Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
