The Masandawana tactician analyses Amakhosi’s strengths and weaknesses as they prepare to meet the Soweto giants
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi feels Kaizer Chiefs can hurt them on the counter-attack but has questioned if striker Samir Nurkovic can fit into that style of play.
Sundowns host Chiefs in an MTN8 quarter-final match at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.
While acknowledging Chiefs’ strengths, Mngqithi says if Amakhosi coach Stuart Baxter chooses to play counter-attacking football, Nurkovic will struggle.
“Based on the talk that he made in the media that he is also coming out guns blazing, they want to reassume their status of being a big team in the country,” Mngqithi told a press conference according to iDiski Times.
“Because their transitional game and counter-attacking game means you are not making many initiatives to take the game for yourself. We know for a fact that Baxter is very dangerous on transition and already, in my mind, I’m thinking of players like [Kgaogelo] Sekgota and Keagan Dolly, but a very big contrast to Nurkovic who is a box striker.
“If they want to play a counter-attacking game it means he must start from the halfway line to come out and I don’t think that is his strength. That will be a bit of a compromise in terms of the structure, which is why I think they might want to come out and play in and around our box, which will make the contest very interesting.”
The Brazilians’ coach explains why Nurkovic might not thrive in Baxter’s counter-attacking system, saying the Serb “will forever be late in the box.”
“But they have very useful players on counter-attacks, Khama [Billiat] is also a player in that space,” said Mngqithi.
“It’s going to be interesting because at this stage we don’t know what they will do. But one thing we know, Nurkovic is a very important player for them and he must play. If they want to play a counter-attacking game, Nurkovic will forever be late in the box.
“Stuart is a very good coach, I’ve got a lot of respect for him. It’s going to be interesting how he approaches the game.”
Chiefs will be keen for their first major piece of silverware since 2015, while Sundowns are keen to retain the MTN8 trophy they last won in 2007.
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