Glory beckons for SuperSport
TINKLER: SUPERSPORT COACH WELCOMES THE RETURN OF LETSHOLONYANE TP Mazembe are defending a 2-1 lead in Confed final.
Eric Tinkler says his Super Sport United side have no reason to be fearful ahead of tonight’s Caf Confederation Cup final, second leg, against TP Mazembe at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Matsatsantsa will need to overturn a one-goal deficit after losing the first leg 2-1 in Lubumbashi last weekend. Tinkler is delighted by the return of Reneilwe Letsholonyane, who didn’t make the trip to Congo due to suspension.
“The club has won many trophies and the players have been to finals, so I don’t think anybody has got stage fright ahead of this game,” said Tinkler.
“I think the advantage that we have ahead of the game is that we have players who are experienced. We have Yeye (Letsholonyane) who is coming back and a few other players who are coming back, so that sort of gives us a better chance.”
While a 1-0 win will be enough to engrave Super Sport’s name into the history books, Tinkler will be looking for more goals as he is aware of his side’s frailties.
“We need the one goal but from past experience of ourselves, we are not very good at defending a 1-0 lead. So we want to go out and play attacking football, like we did when went there (Lubumbashi), play without fear and take risks in order to get back into the tie.
“We are going to have to be at our best to create chances. It is about creating those chances because I feel it is harder to create chances than to score.
“I believe that if we create chances, we have players who are more than capable of scoring,” said Tinkler.
He continued: “We know that they are a team that is very good when going forward. That’s something that we need to worry about because they have good wingers with a lot of pace. On the counter-attack we have to be well-organised.
“What we do know now is that we are coming up against a team that has got a good record in continental competition and they don’t concede a lot of goals when they are playing away. I have watched their performances when they play away, they are a team that defends well.”