Mamelodi Sundowns’ loss against Cape Town City will not be entertained going into the final of the Nedbank Cup, according to Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela.
However, said Maela, the Sea Robbers have a plan in place to exploit the Brazilians’ weaknesses.
The Pirates and Sundowns will rekindle their rivalry when they lock horns at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on Saturday afternoon. The match starts at 3pm.
The blockbuster between the two soccer giants will have a lot at stake, as the Buccaneers will be aiming to defend their crown, while Masandawana will be desperate to lift the Nedbank Cup, which they last won in 2020.
Sundowns suffered a 1-0 defeat to City at the weekend, a result that shattered their dream of ending the DStv Premiership season unbeaten.
We will be ready for cup final
Speaking to the media at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday, Maela said Sundowns’ result at the weekend is proof that they can be beaten.
“We will do our pre-match analysis and look at the spaces and moments where we can exploit them,” Maela said.
“They are a good team, but they also have weaknesses just like any other team.
“We saw over the weekend [against Cape Town City] that anything can happen when you play the game the right way.
“So, we will plan and take our time, and it’s good that we also have the whole week to prepare for the game because there were moments in the season when we didn’t have the time to prepare.
“We will prepare well, we will be ready, and I am sure that we will discuss as a team some of the things we need to do and execute during the match.”
The Buccaneers have already defended their MTN8 title under coach Jose Riveiro and are on the cusp of retaining the Nedbank Cup to end the campaign on a high, having secured a spot in the CAF Champions League next season.
