Celtic aim to muscle past Ajax defence
A FOOTBALL club’s weak areas are invariably preyed upon – and Ajax Cape Town’s PSL rivals have certainly pounced on the Cape club’s perceived Achilles heel.
And, no doubt, when Ajax host Bloemfontein Celtic in a Nedbank Cup last 16 tie at Athlone Stadium on Friday night (kick-off 8pm), the Free State visitors will be looking to test the Capetonians’ vulnerability in central defence.
As good as central defenders Rivaldo Coetzee, 18, and Abbubaker Mobara, 20, have been this season – and both players will mature into greats of the South African game – their youth means they are susceptible to physical, aggressive strikers.
Last week, Mpumalanga Black Aces took full advantage. Their burly, bustling forwards – Collins Mbesuma and Dino Ndlovu – gave the young defenders a torrid time. The duo struggled to cope with the physicality of the two powerful strikers – and Ajax battled throughout the opening 45 minutes.
It was only when coach Roger de Sa changed things in the second half, when they pressed high up, not allowing Aces to play up to the front two, that Ajax were able to get back into the game and go on to win 2-1.
Celtic will obviously be aware of this frailty. It’s something their coach, Clinton Larsen, would have read about in the media, and he would have easily picked it up when watching the video of the Ajax-Aces match.
Needless to say, Coetzee and Mobara can expect another physical onslaught from the Free Staters on Friday.
De Sa is not too perturbed, however. He admits the two young defenders struggle against aggressive, unorthodox forwards, but he knows they are young and inexperienced. He is, though, prepared to allow them to learn on the job, to gain the experience, to go through the rigours of coming up against such robust players. It’s only by experience that Coetzee and Mobara will improve. Both of them, nevertheless, offer so much in other parts of their game.
“When we play a team that is physical, we battle a bit,” said De Sa. “But then I remind myself that my central defence is an 18-year-old and a 20year-old. They are playing their first season together professionally. They struggle with the physicality because they allow big forwards to turn and come at us. It’s an aspect that we have to improve on.”
Coetzee even came in for praise from former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker, a man who has more than 50 years’ experience in the domestic game as a player and a coach.
Barker was in charge of Aces when they played Ajax last week.
“I think Rivaldo will be more dominant with time,” said Barker. “Obviously, he’s got nice touches, he’s a great passer of the ball and he’s a nice player all round.
“I think we should build a part of the national team around him. Having had a closer look at him recently, I think he is a quality player and one for the future.”