Komphela prays for rain again ahead of Sundowns clash

With his team having outwitted Mamelodi Sundowns in a league game played under soggy conditions at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium two weeks ago, Golden Arrows coach, Steve Komphela says he wishes for the same conditions as the two meet again in a Telkom Knockout semifinals at the same venue on Saturday.

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Sundowns players struggled to find rhythm in those conditions and ended on the wrong side of a 3-2 score-line with one of the Arrows goals coming through a goalkeeping mistake from Denis Onyango which their coach Pitso Mosimane said was due to the slippery pitch and ball.

“I will ask God (for rain)… isn’t it they don’t want the rain? Let it rain! They don’t want Clermont? We are going there because when we are in Pretoria they don’t make conditions easy for us. So, let’s give them what they don’t want,” Komphela told the media on Wednesday.

Komphela said he was puzzled why Masandawana would complain about the conditions at their home ground when they have been subjected to worse in their Caf Champions League endeavors.

“They are a top side and they are used to adverse conditions having played in Africa, if they complain about our modest discomfort, you should plead for more because in Africa it is worse in terms of your traveling logistics, hotels and training facilities. So, if they complain about this here the I wish it was even worse. But the Sugar Ray Stadium fits all the PSL standards,” he said.

The former Kaizer Chiefs mentor said his team are coming together like he wished and they are now a formidable side who fight for each other.

“This team works. They defend well and they attack well. They are gelling now and you can see way they play that they are united. They play for each other,” said Komphela.

Abafana Bes’thende had goalkeeper, Maximilian Mbaeva and striker Knox Mutizwa out on national duty with Namibia and Zimbabwe but Komphela says this hardly disturbed their preparations.

“Mbaeva and Mutizwa will be back tomorrow. Those are the two players who were away and I hope they come back fresh. The ones who were here we have been preparing knowing that we will be playing a semifinal on Saturday. So far so good and we are looking forward to the match,” he said.

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