Mamelodi Sundowns vs Golden Arrows: Champions ready for contenders

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Golden Arrows: Co-coach Rulani Mokwena believes that Downs have Abafana Bes’thende well scouted.

Arrows have maintained the structure and philosophy brought in by their former head coach Steve Komphela who now holds the reigns at Sundowns alongside Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi.

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Golden Arrows: Mokwena knows what to expect

Mokwena may know what to expect, but they are likely to find it challenging to get the better of a team who haven’t lost in the league since January.

“We know the strengths and qualities of this team that we are facing‚” Mokwena said.

“We know the work that we need to do in order to be able to control Arrows in relation to their strengths and how to influence our playing philosophy on the match so that we can dominate ball and the pitch.”

Mind games

Mokwena has a history of letting the opposition know in detail what the expect them to do, and he laid it all out once again ahead of Wednesday’s match.

“I think they have shown good consistency throughout the season. They are a good team with a clear playing philosophy‚ clear structure and in possession you know exactly how they set themselves up structurally from the build-up to use both centre halves‚” he said.

“And then they have a No.6 who is either Seth Parusnath or Gladwin Shitolo to come in and create possibilities and link up their attacking play and develop their play from the back. That is a clear sign of a team that wants to be in possession and teams that want to be in possession also have the possibilities to counter-press‚ which is clearly the profile of Golden Arrows.”

Sundowns are set to be wary of Arrows ability to turn defence into attack.

“The interesting thing about them is that the last 12 goals they have scored‚ 90 percent of them have come between the phase of regaining possession and attacking. They average about eight seconds to get into your final third – clearly they are a team that has facets where they can build‚ and out of possession they can hurt you.

“In transition they are extremely dangerous because this is how they kill opponents‚ but they have a very good profile with Pule Mmodi with good one-on-one possibilities in attack and you have to be very careful of that.

“Then you have Nduduzo Sibiya linking with other players like Michael Gumede‚ so on the attack they are very dangerous and have a midfield who are able to cover the ground.”

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Golden Arrows: Match details

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Golden Arrows

Date: Wednesday 28 April 2021

Venue: Loftus Versfeld

Kick-off time: 17:00

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