Zondo goes for broke against Stars

Having managed to trouble the scorers only once in the five years of the Nedbank Ke Yona Team’s existence, coach Khabo Zondo and assistant Shakes Mashaba have decided to go on the offensive to try and get more goals in their clash with Nedbank Cup winners Free State Stars at Makhulong Stadium on Sunday.

Zondo explained that selecting the 2018 Ke Yona team was mainly based on finding attacking players.

“It is what we have been training for and what we have selected because 80 percent of our team consists of attacking players,” said Zondo.

“This is one aspect (offensive football) we want to see come the day of the match. The fans want to see a team that will score goals, but again, it is all about the performance. They might not get the goals because of the lack of character or poor finishing, but there is obviously a possibility we will get goals.”

The former Bloemfontein Celtic and Golden Arrows coach believes he, along with the other coaches, have done everything possible to prepare the team. Now, it is up to the players to make their families proud and to go on and emulate other Ke Yona graduates like Bloemfontein Celtic defender Bongani Sam, Ea Lla Koto defender Bongani Mbuli and SuperSport United’s Aubrey Modiba.

“It is all about character, so we will have done everything possible to give them the platform to perform on the day, with training, team talks, motivating them.

“They know everybody is looking at them, clubs are also looking at them and they want to be like Aubrey Modiba and Bongani Sam and the other players we have released to the PSL (Absa Premiership) and NFD clubs,” he added.

“If it happens that Stars score a goal, I just hope the players will pick themselves up and never give up.”
The only time the Ke Yona team scored a goal was during their 2-1 loss to Matsatsantsa in 2017.