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Da Gama aiming for stars
11/04/2007 09:39 - (SA)
Billy Cooper, Daily Sun
Johannesburg - Silver Stars are hoping their cup fairytale will continue on Saturday.
Stars beat the odds to win the country's richest cup competition - the Telkom Knockout - in December. It earned the cash-strapped club R4.25m.
Now Stars coach Owen da Gama has set his sights on the Absa Cup.
Stars host another top cup side, SuperSport United, at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Saturday (15:15) in what promises to be an explosive quarter-final clash.
Despite having little money for players after selling most of their big name stars to richer clubs, Stars have gone from strength to strength under Da Gama.
Fortunately he manages to get the best out of his players, in spite of limited resources.
Stars were given a major boost this week when Da Gama announced that star striker Simba Marumo is back at full training and would be considered for Saturday's cup tie. Marumo has been out for two months with a groin injury.
Da Gama said: "Marumo is training at full steam."
But he was full of praise for the job done by strikers Dingane Masanabo and the lanky Dale Studzinski.
Said Da Gama: "Studzinski is our Peter Crouch while Masanabo scored both goals in the 2-1 away league win over Ajax Cape Town over Easter."
Da Gama's goals never change. Every season he aims to finish the league season higher that the last. They were fifth last time so he would be happy with fourth place But the cherry on top would be winning the Absa Cup.
But Da Gama faces a top coach in Pitso Mosimane and a top class side.
Said Da Gama: "United have the cup pedigree. They are going to be tough to beat - even at home."
- Daily Sun
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