Komphela talks psychological pressure ahead of Chiefs encounter

In true Steve Komphela fashion, the Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach offered a philosophical analogy of the occasion that awaits players at FNB the Stadium on Saturday.

Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns will renew rivalries in a sold-out Carling Knockout quarter-final affair at the iconic venue.

Having previously coached Amakhosi in the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates, Komphela is aware of the daunting task and psychological barriers players need to overcome to perform under pressure.

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“It’s going to be packed and that stadium will be golden and black and yellow so you have to perform,” Komphela said.

“Players get affected by such environments but big players love these environments and players who get intimidated, the environment swallows them. 

“So we need to work not only from a technical, tactical preparation and all that but it’s going to be more psychological as well (in order) to have the nerve to perform under thousands of people.”

Although the Brazilians have the psychological edge heading into the game after the 2-1 win in a Betway Premiership match in September, Komphela has raised a couple of questions his team needs to answer in their bid to advance to the semi-finals.

“The last 15 minutes you could feel their change even though there were certain things that we could have done better,” Komphela said when reflecting on the recent encounter that saw Sundowns claw their way back from a goal down to record the win.

“Do you go into a match on the back of a good 75 minutes and then stick to that template or go to the game with the panic and anxiety of the last 15 minutes? Those are all things that you have to factor in but it’s not going to be an easy match.

“I’m sure you saw them in Polokwane when they played SuperSport United and you saw them against Magesi FC and you still remember what happened when we played them at FNB.”

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In addition to the absence of influential captain Themba Zwane, Masandawana versatile midfielder Rivaldo Coetzee is doubtful after being stretched off in the 3-0 midweek win over Cape Town City at Loftus Versfeld.

Meanwhile, the Soweto giants will be without Edson Castillo who faces a long spell on the sidelines.