Brazilians wary of underdogs

2008-04-18 11:41

Cape Town - Mamelodi Sundowns will look to continue their excellent form in cup competitions this season when they take on First Division Coastal Stream side FC Cape Town in a Nedbank Cup quarter-final at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday evening.

Kick off is at 20h00.

The Brazilians already have the Top 8 trophy in the bag and were unlucky to lose to Kaizer Chiefs on penalties in the final of the League Cup late last year.

They have also progressed to the third round of the Caf Champions League, with a tricky tie against Sudan's Al Hilal separating them from the lucrative group phase of the prestigious continental club competition.

Coach Trott Moloto has turned his team's form around since the departure of Gordon Igesund.

Sundowns were imperious in their 1-0 defeat of Kaizer Chiefs at the weekend and they followed that up with a comfortable win against Thanda Royal Zulu in midweek, the first time this season they have won three league games on the trot.

Nonetheless, Sundowns will do well to not to underestimate their First Division opponents, despite the fact that FC Cape Town finished in fourth place in the Coastal Stream, some 21 points off the pace of winners Maritzburg United.

The side from the Mother City have defeated Dynamos, Durban Stars and Winners Park to make it this far in the tournament, and the prospect of claiming the big scalp of Mamelodi Sundowns will be a big motivation for coach Johnny Ferreira and his team.

They are the undoubted underdogs and thus will be under far less pressure than their high profile opponents.

Remember also that FC Cape Town have not conceded a goal in the Nedbank Cup in three games, and, including their Last 16 victory over Park, they are unbeaten in their last three league and cup matches.

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