Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando da Cruz believes Saturday’s clash against African champions Mamelodi Sundowns has arrived earlier than he would have liked but insists Amakhosi cannot use their demanding schedule as an excuse.
Chiefs will welcome Sundowns to FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a blockbuster Betway Premiership encounter, with the match coming just days after their 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune United. For Da Cruz, the timing of the encounter is far from ideal.
Chiefs are having to navigate three matches in six days, meaning they have one fewer day of recovery compared to the other teams facing a similar run of fixtures.
“It’s a bit disappointing [to face Sundowns now], it’s a bit early for a match like this in the season and we’re the only team in the PSL to play three games in six days, the others play three in seven days,” Da Cruz said.
The French coach, however, was quick to dismiss any suggestion that the schedule could become an excuse for his team.
“So, we have one less day of recovery, but it’s not a problem, it’s not an excuse, this game will be played, we know it’s like that and we can’t change anything [about the schedule],” he added.
Chiefs’ challenge could hardly be greater.
Sundowns enter the fixture as the reigning African champions after lifting the CAF Champions League title in May, defeating Morocco’s AS FAR in the final, a former club of the French mentor.
That continental success is precisely why Da Cruz believes Saturday’s encounter can provide a valuable measuring stick for his developing Chiefs side.
“Sundowns is the best team in Africa, because they won the Champions League last season,” he said.
“But we will try to raise our level, to Champions League level on Saturday – this game will give us very good information on what this team is capable of,” the Chiefs coach said.
The comments underline the significance Da Cruz places on the fixture beyond the immediate importance of three league points.
Chiefs have made a positive start to their Betway Premiership campaign and followed up their opening victory over Kruger United with another win against Sekhukhune.
The victory over Babina Noko also came during an unusually congested period for Amakhosi, with the club confirming three fixtures in a week.
Now comes the biggest test. Sundowns have already demonstrated their quality domestically and on the continent, while their early-season schedule has also included a 3-2 league victory over TS Galaxy on Tuesday after their MTN8 quarter-final win over Polokwane City.
For Chiefs, Saturday’s fixture represents an opportunity to establish whether their encouraging early results can translate into a performance against the benchmark of African club football.
The fixture is scheduled for 15:00 at the Calabash, in what is expected to be a sold out affair.
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