Tinkler will not be rattled by Downs

CAPE Town City coach Eric Tinkler says they will have every right to consider themselves legitimate title candidates if they beat champions Mamelodi Sundowns in tomorrow night’s top-of-thetable clash at the Athlone Stadium.

“In my mind if we can collect three points against Sundowns‚ then we can consider ourselves as potential league winners‚” he said yesterday.

“I think that’s the magnitude of the game.

“I think it would be a good result for us if we could get a win against them.

“Yes‚ we have managed to beat them in the league before but they have pushed on and made a few new signings‚ who have been good signings.”

City are one of only two teams to have handed Sundowns defeat in the Premier Soccer League this season‚ winning 2-1 away at Loftus Versfeld in October.

The new Cape outfit share top place in the standings with SuperSport United on 35 points‚ two more than Sundowns‚ who have played three fewer games.

“It’s a game where we want to collect three points.

“I think prior to our game against Baroka‚ we were disappointed by our draw against Pirates and felt we lost two points there.

“The Baroka game was extremely important to collect those points ahead of this match which is going to be extremely tough.

“Sundowns have so much depth that we must approach the game mentally strong‚ first and foremost.

“Whatever [Sundowns] team that comes out on that field is going to be quality.

“He has got practically three different starting XIs that most clubs in the country would dream of having. “But are they beatable? Yes. “And the reality for us is that we have nothing to lose.

“We have no pressure. Nobody expected us to be where we are.

“We need to just go out there and play the football we know we are capable of playing … and enjoy the occasion‚” Tinkler added.

● SuperSport’s television coverage of the delayed overnight second half of the 0-0 Absa Premiership draw between Mamelodi Sundowns and Chippa United‚ completed at Loftus Versfeld yesterday morning‚ was affected by a truck strike in Pretoria.

A match from hell that seemed to have all circumstances conspiring against it almost suffered another setback when a strike by disgruntled coal truck drivers caused havoc in Pretoria.

The striking truckers blocked roads to the Union Buildings‚ which are close to Loftus.

The game had to be abandoned on Tuesday night when a power failure in the Hatfield area saw the lights go out at Loftus in the 42nd minute of play.

The Premier Soccer League scheduled the rest of the game to be completed from 10am yesterday morning.

Trucks carrying Pay-TV sports channel SuperSport’s equipment and personnel to the stadium got stuck for more than an hour in traffic jams caused by the coal truck strike.

PSL communications manager Luxolo September confirmed the truck strike had affected SuperSport’s coverage.

“What happened earlier affected not just SuperSport but everyone‚” said September. — Additional reporting by Marc Strydom