Kaitano in tough Confed Cup test
ZIMBABWEAN coach Kaitano Tembo faces a stern test tonight when his SuperSport United seek to overturn a one-goal deficit against Kenya’s Gor Mahia and advance to the Confederation Cup group stages for the second successive time.
SuperSport will entertain the East Africans at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria in a game that gets underway at 7pm.
Tembo, who is in charge of SuperSport on a caretaker basis, saw his charges succumb to a 1-0 defeat by the Kenyans via a late penalty in Nairobi in the first leg.
But the SuperSport and Warriors legend told the club website yesterday he was confident his side could overturn the deficit and book their place in the prestigious group stages.
The SuperSport coach has also demanded that his team settle for nothing than a home win over the East Africans.
“We are playing in both the league and the Caf Cup at the moment. This is a big task to the boys as they never rested enough after the final of the previous campaign. However, I’m happy with how we are balancing things at training.
“We missed a few players in the first leg and I’m sure their return will be a big boost to the team. We are not worried about Mahia, the good thing is that we will be playing them at home, this time around, and our fans will also be there giving us their unwavering support as always,” said Tembo.
SuperSport have the Zimbabwean trio of strikers Evans Rusike, Kingstone Nkatha, Prince Dube and defender Onismor Bhasera in their books.
But Rusike, who arrived at the Pretoria club in midseason from Martizburg United, can only be registered with the Confederation of African Football if SuperSport win through tonight and advance to the group stages.
However, the African jungle is not new to Tembo, a veteran of many battles on the continent as a player with Dynamos and the Warriors and in his fledgling career as a coach.
Tembo took charge of SuperSport in yet another caretaker role last year when Stuart Baxter left the club to become the South African national team coach with the 47-year-old former defensive hardman going on to guide Matsatsantsa past the group stages.
Tough times have continued to stalk SuperSport in the Premiership and despite a 0-0 away draw to Cape Town City, they are still in danger. Tembo, though, appears unfazed. “I think we dominated in terms of possession and penetrated, and I think we had more opportunities than them.
“We were a bit more adventurous than them, and with a bit of luck, we could have scored a goal or two. But that’s been the story of our lives at the moment, but I’m happy with the performance – at least we’re playing well, and it gives us hope going into the next game.
“I don’t think the pressure is getting to us — if the pressure was getting to us, we wouldn’t be playing the way we are.
“We are playing good football. It’s not easy now, a lot of teams are scrapping for points. But I don’t think it’s about pressure, as we have a lot of experienced players — what matters to me is the performance.”