Balancing act for Pitso
SQUAD: NEEDS TO TO RING THE CHANGES
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane described tomorrow’s Absa Premiership tie against Stellenbosch FC as a “thorn in the flesh” because it falls after what was a gruelling Caf Champions League match away to Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca on Saturday.
It is also three days away from the Telkom Knockout final in Durban where the Brazilians will face Maritzburg United.
Downs had initially managed to have the match postponed by the Premier Soccer League but made a sudden change by asking the league to reinstate the game and have it played in the capital city instead of the Mother City.
Masandawana coach Pitso Mosimane will need to find a way to freshen up his team considering the long trek from Casablanca, which takes a detour via Europe before landing on South African shores. The likes of Aubrey Ngoma, Sammy Seabi, Keletso Makgalwa, Rivaldo Coetzee, and others who have seen very little action this season, could get a chance to play as
Mosimane is expected to rest most of his regular starters, most particularly those who played against Wydad.
“To be on top of the log we have to balance the team and make the changes. We have to trust the Aubrey Ngomas, we have to trust Lyle Lakay at left-back more than Tebogo Langerman. We have to trust Rivaldo Coetzee, he played very well when we played Golden Arrows. We have to give Ali Meza a (place in the) starting line-up, we have to give Lebogang Maboe a starting berth and we need to give the young Sphelele Mkhulise a starting berth,” said Mosimane.
Stellies coach Steve Barker, meanwhile, is likely to field his strongest available team and with Mosimane’s hand forced to ring the changes, he says if overhauling his squad backfires, he will be the one to take the fall.
“Who cares if you play and you lose and you have made six changes? It backfires on you as a coach. To win the league in South Africa and to win the Caf Champions League, you need a super team because of the games in hand and the travelling. How do you balance this game from the Champions League game?,” said the former Bafana Bafana mentor.