Fresh from a scintillating 3-3 draw against Cape Town City this past weekend, SuperSport United now shift their attention to a do-or-die MTN8 semi-final second leg against arch-rivals Mamelodi Sundowns at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday night.
Both sides are riding high with Sundowns on the back off a 5-0 continental victory away in Seychelles and will be buoyed by the away goal advantage going into the derby with United having drawn drew 1-1 in the first leg at the same venue a fortnight ago.
Matsatsantsa coach Kaitano Tembo surmises the encounter will be just as action-packed.
This will be the third meeting between the neighbours, having clashed in the league on the opening day of the new campaign in a game Sundowns won 2-0.
United have since gone on to redeem themselves with a string of fine performances, remaining unbeaten in all competitions thus far.
Sundowns on the other hand lost just once since then, a 2-1 defeat to away Congolese side Otôho d’Oyo. Tembo is pleased with his side’s progress.
Matsatsantsa lost out in the final of the MTN8 to Cape Town City last season and the Zimbabwean born mentor believes winning against a Sundowns side that has struggled to go far in the competition will set them up nicely for a win in the final against either Polokwane City or Highlands Park.
Tembo’s competitor Benni McCarthy blasted his players for letting United back in the game to salvage a 3-3 draw this past weekend.
McCarthy lashed out saying South African players are in the comfort zone as they know they are guaranteed places in the starting line-up, adding he could not wait for some of his injured players to return and do away with some of the ones who played on Saturday.
Tembo says his approach of dealing with underperforming players is slightly different to Benni’s. – Report by Tumi Gabonamong
