The MTN8 is back with a refurbished trophy up for grabs and Moroka Swallows coach Steve Komphela is ready to cause an early upset against his former club Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sundowns will host Swallows in the first quarter-final encounter at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Saturday afternoon. Kick-off is at 3pm.
Komphela made a surprise switch from Masandawana to new-look Dube Birds recently and is ready to use the information he has about the Brazilians to his advantage.
“I do have information and the understanding of how the team used to play,” Komphela said during the MTN8 launch at the MultiChoice studios in Randburg on Thursday.
“I also had a look at how they play currently, there is a slight tweak, but it is not far away from the principles that had been planted from the past seasons.
“The difference from the Sundowns that I know is that they have now evolved. There are certain principles that they still subscribe to, but they have complicated them a bit.
“One other thing is that they are playing people who are used to the system and very matured in the system.”
The Dube Birds go up against a Sundowns side that is on form, having won back-to-back DStv Premiership league matches so far.
Masandawana coach Rulani Mokwena said he is not fazed by his antagonist, noting that the game will be played on the pitch and not how much information he has about them.
“Yes, he [Komphela] knows us very well but football is played on the pitch. I always say the game belongs to the players and not the coaches,” he said.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
