Kaizer Chiefs will begin their adventure in the CAF Champions League when they face Botswana’s Township Rollers in a first leg, preliminary round match at FNB Stadium on Saturday evening, kick-off at 7:30pm CAT.
The Amakhosi failed to impress upon their return to African club competition last year, being eliminated from the Champions League in the second round after an aggregate defeat to eventual runners-up AS Vita of DRC, before exiting the Confederation Cup after a seemingly disinterested performance against ASEC Mimosas.
The difficulty of competing both domestically and on the continent took its toll on Chiefs last season, as they relinquished a healthy lead at the top of the Absa Premiership, seemingly due to mental and physical fatigue.
The Soweto giants find themselves in a similar position this year, holding a big lead at the top of the PSL (despite playing to a goalless draw with Bloemfontein Celtic in midweek), but coach Stuart Baxter believes they will handle the challenges better this time around.
“This time we will approach things differently in terms of how we prepare and recuperate,” said Baxter.
“Things change when you include long distance travelling in different conditions. However, we won’t feel sorry for ourselves, we have to be ready. Hopefully the squad will remain fresh and healthy.
“At times it is tougher to be successful than not being successful. We will apply the mental preparation to the last degree.”
Chiefs have not enjoyed any notable success in the Champions League, though they did win the African Cup Winners’ Cup (named the Mandela Cup at the time, now incorporated as part of the Confederation Cup) in 2001 and would love to match arch rivals Orlando Pirates’ feat (the Buccaneers won the African Cup of Champions in 1995).
Their opponents, Township Rollers, are the reigning champions of the Botswana Premier League. Nicknamed ‘Mapalastina’, they have never progressed into the latter stages of the Champions League, though they should not be underestimated.
Rollers have been a port of call for some of Botswana’s best players in recent years, including the likes of Dipsy Selolwane, Mogogi Gabonamong and Joel Mogorosi, all of whom have gone on to feature prominently in the PSL. They also boast the talents of former Mamelodi Sundowns forward Manqoba Ngwenya.
Nonetheless, Chiefs will be confident of coming out on top over the two legs of this Southern African derby (the second leg will be held in Gaborone on the weekend of February 27 to March 1). Should they do so, the Amakhosi will face either Raja Casablanca (Morocco) or Diables Noirs (Congo) in the first round.
No comments:
Post a Comment
drop your comment about your football hero, their fashion style, like who dresses most, who drink most ,who hang out most like going to club , who plays with woman most and so on