The ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Tshwane face the dejected but ambitious Zamalek in the second and final leg of the CAF champions League, in Cairo on Sunday.
This is after walloping the visitors 3-0 last weekend.
The game kicks –off at 8:30pm (SA time) at the 86 000-seater, modern Borg El Arab Stadium.
According to coach Pitso “Jingles”Mosimane, the players’ have received death threats ahead of the game but, he says this is good for psychological preparedness.
Mosimane was speaking after Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula had given Downs a rousing send-off after their final training session at their Chloorkop base yesterday before flying out on Wednesday night for Alexandria, Egypt.
“This is a good week for us. This is a brilliant week. Five days to prepare before the match,” the coach enthused.
“We don’t have that – we have three days all the time. We even gave the players off on Monday to get the body back, because we’re not used to this.
“We trained normally. Today Wednesday was the last day of my tactical sessions – it’s done.
“Analysing Zamalek is done – yesterday and today. We’ve packaged all Zamalek’s home games – against Wydad Casablanca in the semifinals, against us, to see their mentality, characteristics and the behaviour of their play at home.
“And then we’ll have one session in Alexandria on Friday, just to try and sharpen saw.
“We’ve checked the referees – to see how they deal with pressure. I’m not talking about cheating. We realise that some of the fouls the referees will deal with differently in Egypt.
“At Lucas Moripe the 12th player crowd played a very big part. And in Egypt it will play a very big part.
“There have been messages sent via social media, to all the players – whoever has got an Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account, all of them. They have received death threats.
“But you know those things are OK. It’s mind games. The match is XI against XI on the pitch.
“The players have laughed about it. I said, ‘OK that’s good. Because if they don’t talk about it maybe it could affect them’.
“But they understand that there will be lasers in Egypt. I told them, ‘We’ve been there with Bafana – there were lasers, and nothing happened. So let’s go and play.”
Also traveling with “Jingles” is Bafana coach Shakes “Mshege” Mashaba, this is despite rumour-mill that the two don’t see -eye to- eye when coming to selection of Downs players’.
Egyptian giants Zamalek and Al Ahly fans are among the most passionate in world football, and are known for using lasers to try to distract opposition players.
Yes, come high or hell water -Downs will join Orlando Pirates as the second team from SA to get that all important star on the jersey!
SA deserves this or kanjani?
