Mamelodi Sundowns are aiming to join Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, but they must first overcome the challenge posed by Mpheni Home Defenders.
Nedbank Cup: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Mpheni Home Defenders
Mamelodi Sundowns will face Limpopo-based Mpheni Home Defenders at the Lucas Moripe Stadium at 15:00, according to Ke Yona’s fixtures. The visitors’ coach, Vhutshilo Phuravhathu, has emphasized how motivated his players are ahead of the clash.
Phuravhathu stated, “This is the most significant game in our history. Playing against such a huge African club like Sundowns is monumental. Our players are already highly motivated, and they don’t need any extra push.”
He further explained the significance of the match: “The fact that this is the only game being played on Sunday makes it even more important. We have the chance to be the first team from a lower division to beat Sundowns, which only adds to the motivation.”
Phuravhathu, who believes no team is invincible, commented, “Sundowns are beatable on any given day. Many teams respect them too much, and that’s why they struggle against them. But if you go into the match with confidence, you stand a better chance of getting a positive result.”
He also highlighted Sundowns’ packed schedule as an opportunity for his side to exploit. “I’ve noticed Sundowns have a tight fixture list with games like TS Galaxy coming up before they face us. This means they have limited recovery time and aren’t training as much. If we can push them to extra time, we could catch them with tired legs due to their heavy schedule.”
