Cape Town City Head Coach Jan Olde Riekerink says their match against Kaizer Chiefs will be a challenging game, and you cannot keep a good team down.
Olde Riekerink says Chiefs showed an improved performance in their 1-0 win against AmaZulu, and City, who are missing a number of players, will need to be at their best to beat Gavin Hunt’s team.
“It’s a top club, it’s a top team in South Africa, it doesn’t matter in what position they are in the league, at the end of the day, they’ll come back,” Olde Riekerink said in a virtual press conference.
“You see this even abroad, even with Barcelona, the first phase of the competition they struggled. In the end they will be at the place where the quality of their players are.”
“It will be a challenging game for us, after we played two away games – it was a long trip I think the Swallows defeat, Swallows have a good team, I think TTM were two zero ahead, and then I think we gave it away after creating a penalty from out of nothing…”
“I think there, we lost two points.”
“But in the end, we’re still in a good position, so I hope we’ll be ready, but a few players are not available.”
City will be missing Edmilson Dove and Aubrey Ngoma (both long term injuries), while Abbubaker Mobara has a hamstring tear. Craig Martin is yet to return to the team after being in isolation after a positive Covid-19 test. Mpho Makola and Thabo Nodada, who were also in isolation, have begun training again but Olde Riekerink may not rush them back, as they have only just got over the illness.
Tashreeq Morris and Taariq Fielies are suspended.
The Dutch coach says the return of Samir Nurkovic is a big boost for Chiefs, and he was also impressed with their defensive organisation against Usuthu.
“I think what impressed me the most,” Olde Riekerink said after watching Chiefs beat AmaZulu on Wednesday, “was the defensive organisation of Chiefs, it improved a lot, and of course (Samir) Nurkovic is back, and he will be the guys who is able to score the goals. A lot of times that’s the important part of the game.”
“A good goalkeeper and a striker can help a team. We have (Justin) Shonga, but he’s also not available for this game.”
Shonga’s work permit and paperwork is still be sorted.
