Gyimah up against different challenge
STRONGMAN: Edwin Gyimah has brought solidity to Bucs EDWIN Gyimah, “Eddie” to his teammates, has no regrets about the 72nd-minute red card he received in the Nedbank Cup semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Ghanaian knows his robust display kept the PSL’s little Neymar, Khama Billiat, wrapped up and out of the game, and was instrumental in what turned into a 2-0 extratime win for Orlando Pirates.
“During the week I sat quietly, thinking how I was going to deal with Billiat. We had played Sundowns twice and he was able to get the run on us and score both times,” Gyimah said this week.
“I watched his clips. Playing against such a striker your concentration level must be high. If you take your eyes off of him he will score.”
Gyimah meets a different sort of striker in Saturday’s Nedbank final. SuperSport United’s Jeremy Brockie has positional intelligence and is the PSL’s best finisher. The Kiwi shoots from anywhere.
“Wherever the ball is in the , he always tries something. You don’t give him space,” Gyimah said.
Pirates’ midfielder-turnedcentreback has brought energy and physical presence to Bucs’ defence in the second half of the season. A back four of Ntsikelelo Nyauza, Gyimah, Ayanda Gcaba and Thabo Matlaba have provided a more dynamic combination from a defence that was becoming static with age.
Gyimah was spotted playing for Ghana at the All Africa Games in Maputo and was signed by SuperSport in 2011.
He believes Bucs’ hardships this season, losing against Tunisians Etoile du Sahel after a gruelling run to November’s Caf Confederation Cup final, then suffering the consequences in the PSL, gives them the hunger to edge his former side in the Nedbank final.
“I’ve played for SuperSport. I know the expectations they have at that club,” he said.
“But we have had a bad run in the league. We had to settle for runners-up in the Confed. I think this Nedbank Cup, we seriously need it.” WITH five league titles and seven cup winners’ medals, all coming at SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates, no one seems more qualified than Daine Klate to appraise those two teams’ chances in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final.
The Bidvest Wits winger runs the rule over two of 201516’s underachieving teams’ chances of finishing with a bang at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane: With Stuart Baxter coming in midway they haven’t been as good as he would have liked. It’s 50/50 — you never know if they’ll be brilliant or shocking. Baxter’s a very thorough coach and likes a certain style and way of doing things. It will take time for SuperSport to adjust.
There are moments where they look solid, and at others more like in the first half of the season. There seem to be a lot of bad habits.
But in a final it’s evenly balanced. Either side has players who can win it –— Jeremy Brockie can score from any angle.
It’s a very talented squad. Thuso Phala and Dove Wome are matchwinners on their day. Bradley Grobler’s played well recently. Dean Furman seems to have relaxed from when he arrived and had a lot to prove, and seemed to be trying to do too much. When I left the club the restructuring had started. This season there have been a lot of changes. Rooi Mahamutsa and Happy Jele would normally play 90% of the games. They’ve played less. Rooi’s still a great guy to have in a squad, who can come in and give you that experience and stability.
There is more energy and pace in Pirates’ defence now than experience. I think that’s why they play on the front foot — like in the semifinal against Free State Stars.
If they go on the back foot, containing can be a problem for them. They play on the front foot, with the energy and speed they have now, the wingers coming inside and fullbacks overlapping.
That causes problems for the opposition, especially on [left-back] Thabo Matlaba’s side.
Mpho Makola has filled in nicely for Oupa Manyisa as playmaker. When I was at Pirates, he was full of talent and we were waiting for him to explode. You still feel he’s holding something back.
Luvuyo Memela and Thabo Qalinge coming in with good performances, provide the spark. Since Tendai Ndoro stopped scoring, Pirates struggled to win again. He could be crucial. Pirates have shown the hunger in this competition with their previous wins [against Kaizer Chiefs, Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundowns and Stars]. When I played for Bucs we were never the underdog. In any cup competition, with either of the two big teams, Chiefs or Pirate are favourites with what they have behind them. DAINE KLATE: Pirates have shown the hunger in this competition DYNAMITE: SuperSport United midfielder Michael Morton