Highlands ready for Bucs war
MTN8 rookies Highlands Park are approaching the quarterfinal against Pirates at Soweto’s Orlando Stadium on Saturday (6pm) as a chance to lift their game as they try to become contenders this season.
Coach Owen da Gama sees it as a positive for his team, known as the Lions of the North, to be involved in the competition for the first time.
“For us, it’s a blessing in disguise to meet teams like Pirates at this stage of the season because it takes us to another level,” he said.
“They actually pull you up to another level.
“You play quicker‚ the players’ combinations work better.”
The 2018 National First Division champions set out in their last campaign just to survive their first season back in the top flight, but far exceeded their own expectations by finishing seventh and grabbing a first-ever top eight place.
“For us the approach is twofold‚” Da Gama said.
“It’s good to be playing in the top eight – that’s important‚ against a top‚ top team at their home ground.
“You never know what can happen – if we can defend well we can beat any team.
“If we can get past Pirates‚ anything is possible.”
Defence was an issue for Highlands last season as they conceded 32 league goals.
“Last year, we scored a lot of goals but we conceded too.
“We are just trying to get our defence sorted‚” he said.
“I’ve always said that if we can defend well‚ a lot of teams are going to battle to beat us.”
Football returns to Newlands in Cape Town when Cape Town City host Polokwane City at the rugby stadium in their MTN8 quarterfinal on Saturday due to the continued unavailability of City’s home ground at the Cape Town Stadium due to pitch issues.
The earliest match-up this Saturday in the cup competition for the previous season’s top eight teams sees Benni McCarthy’s defending champions City‚ fourth-placed finishers in the Absa Premiership in 2018/2019‚ host Polokwane‚ who placed fifth‚ at 3pm.
At 8.15pm on Saturday, 2018/2019 league champions Sundowns meet Bloemfontein Celtic at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. –