Mamelodi Sundowns and Richards Bay FC will clash for the first time in the 16th edition of the Nedbank Cup on Tuesday evening. The Brazilians intend to improve upon their performance from the previous season and defend their trophy in this match. Coach Rulani Mokwena discussed the team’s expectations for the opponents prior to the game.
“Richards Bay is a formidable opponent, and we were fortunate enough to face them lately. We were able to view their previous games as well as their most recent contest. It is going to be a difficult game for us since they are an intriguing, well-coached squad with talented players.
Richards Bay will not be Masandawana’s first opponent in the competition. Despite having faced each other during the previous season and in other contests, both clubs will begin Tuesday evening with a clean slate and no cushion in the competition. The Brazilians enter the competition as the defending Nedbank Cup champions, seeking to defend their championship.
The squad had to recuperate and refocus its attention to the Nedbank Cup after playing a league match on the weekend. Coach Mokwena stated that the technical staff will facilitate and provide as much assistance is possible for the players to progress and perform consistently well throughout the competition.
“We want to always be a challenging squad to play against, while also respecting all of our opponents. We work very hard to give ourselves a chance to win every match in which we compete. As a team, we must make every effort to protect the title and perform better than we did the previous year. We are committed to playing to win and being consistent.” The Brazilians’ coach explained the team’s strategy for defending the trophy.
The Bafana Ba Style Coach also stated that, given the size of the team’s roster, each player is significant and worthy of representing the club and its ideals. In addition, he disclosed that the team held a tactical session prior to their evening matchup in preparation for the encounter. Coach Rulani said that he has gathered sufficient information on the opposition and also elaborated on how he has devoted a great deal of time to the analysis of the KwaZulu Natal side, passing on as much information as possible to the players without overloading them.
On 7 February 2023, Mamelodi Sundowns will host Richards Bay in the opening match of the Nedbank Cup at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Live coverage begins at 19:30 on SuperSport.
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