All for one as City face Costa do Sol
CAPE Town City have had to quickly come down from the euphoria of Wednesday’s 1-0 Nedbank Cup win over Orlando Pirates at the Cape Town Stadium because the next game, the next competition, is just two days away.
On Sunday, City host Mozambique’s Costa do Sol in a CAF Confederations Cup first round, second leg tie at the Athlone Stadium (kick-off 4pm) – and, no doubt, coach Benni McCarthy’s men want to tap into the feel-good mood of the Pirates triumph. The Citizens beat Costa do Sol 1-0 in the first leg.
McCarthy, in keeping with his trust and belief in every member of his squad, has used the continental inter-club event to rotate the players. Fringe players are then ready when they are needed during times of injury or suspension. And the players haven’t disappointed: teenagers like Shane Roberts and Zukile Kewuti have used the opportunity to grow their experience, while Ebrahim Seedat, Tshepo Gumede, Kwanda Mngonyama, Sibusiso Masina and Nana Akosah-Bempah have been able to stay at the top of their game to prevent rust from creeping in.
The City coach will again make wholesale changes to the starting team and very few who featured in the Pirates success will play against Costa do Sol. But, rest assured, irrespective of who is selected, every member of the squad will be there in full support of whoever plays. As McCarthy suggests, the Cup result was “an incredible morale booster”, especially considering how well the Soweto club has been playing in recent weeks.
“The plan was always to exploit the fact that Pirates attack with four or five players as it leaves them vulnerable at the back. We used (Lyle) Lakay and Surprise (Ralani) to get in behind them – and that’s also how we got the goal.”
Every single City player on the night deserved massive credit for the stoic implementation of the plan. For the opening 70 minutes, they played with great poise and quick-passing precision; and during the final 20 minutes, they defended stoutly.
Goalkeeper Sage Stephens continues to grow in stature and confidence and he pulled off one or two crucial saves; Captain Marvellous Robyn Johannes and his take-no-prisoners side-kick Taariq Fielies marshalled the centre of defence with an impressive combination of composure and aggression; right-back Thami Mkhize is surely the most consistent and reliable performer in the PSL, while Mozambican left-back Edmilson is just a joy to watch – smooth and unflappable in possession. Wing-wizards Surprise Ralani and Lyle Lakay provided the key to unlock the Pirates defence, and Austrian Roland Putsche remains an integral, influential cog in how City go about their business; goal-scorer Ayanda Patosi is finally back to his best and making an impact on the PSL and, of course, just to leave the best for last – veteran Teko Modise. The 35-year-old was again the throbbing heart of the Cape side’s midfield: passing, linking, tackling, pressing and controlling; in short, he’s the glue that holds everything together for City.