EYEING BIG CAF PAYDAY
Grobler and Brockie send SuperSport into final
SUPERSPORT United coach Eric Tinkler is confident his side can lift the African Confederation Cup this season as they prepare to face Democratic Republic of the Congo giants TP Mazembe in the two-legged final of the soccer competition next month.
SuperSport will enjoy the biggest payday in the club’s history if they successfully work their way around Mazembe over the two legs, with a whopping $1.25-million (R17-million) set aside for the winners.
Matsatsantsa have already played Mazembe twice this season, in the group stages, with a 2-2 draw in Lubumbashi and a 0-0 score at home‚ suggesting the sides are matched.
SuperSport booked their spot in the final with an excellent 3-1 away win at Tunisian side Club Africain on Sunday night that sealed a 4-2 aggregate win.
“I explained to my players we needed to come here [port city Rades]‚ to this hostile crowd and hostile environment‚ and play without fear,” Tinkler said after the game in Tunisia.
“That is also how we have to treat the game against TP Mazembe‚ irrespective of the experience they have.”
SuperSport United triumphed over Club Africain with a brace from Bradley Grobler and a 10th strike in the competition for Jeremy Brockie.
“I think we were very good in the first 30 minutes. We showed great composure on the ball‚” Tinkler said.
“The decision-making was very good. We knew they would field a 4-3-3 formation‚ we just weren’t too sure whether they would play with three defensive midfielders, or two and one attacking.
“I think that they played with defensive midfielders played to our advantage.
“It meant they would be sitting back and looking to only really hurt us on the counter attack – and we dealt with them well in the first 30 minutes.”
Tinkler said his side’s opening goal actually appeared to put more pressure on his team.
“We created chances‚ we got the lead and immediately after scoring we changed the way we played.
“I think the players, to a degree, started to panic a little bit. We started just knocking long balls and that was playing straight into their hands.
“But the response from the players in the second half was exceptional.
“We started showing the same intensity and composure.”
Tinkler said a change in formation helped when SuperSport switched to a counter-attacking mode.
“We landed up changing the formation and going with three at the back‚ playing with a 3-5-2, and were then looking to break on the counter against them.
“We ended up getting that third [goal] and possibly could have scored more,” he said.
“I’m extremely proud of the performance of the team. It has been a long run to get where we are – and we thoroughly deserve to be in the Caf final.”
Skipper Dean Furman said the players were determined to lift the trophy.
“These boys put in an unbelievable shift. For 10 months we have been going all out in this tournament‚ and we want to lift that trophy now.
“One more hurdle to overcome. We want to lift that cup‚ we want to get that star on our shirts‚” Furman said.
‘ I’m extremely proud of the performance of the team. It’s been a long run to get where we are