Magesi plotting for massive upset against Sundowns in Carling Knockout final

There will be a lot at stake when rookies Magesi FC take on overwhelming favourites Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout final at the Free State Stadium on Saturday (6pm). 

Magesi, who were promoted to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) this season, are aiming to cause a massive upset by winning their first major trophy in the top league at the expense of the Brazilians. 

Speaking in the lead-up to the match the week, Magesi coach Clinton Larsen and his Sundowns counterpart Manqoba Mngqithi showed respect for each other but those pleasantries will be out of the window on Saturday afternoon.

“We just have to respect every opponent because in football you will always have our short winter blankets,” said Mngqithi as he explained he prefers his team to score more goals. 

“If you want to score more goals, something has to give. But it will be nice to watch a game where the other team scores seven and the other scores six.”

Mngqithi also spoke about areas where they need to be good to be able to beat Magesi.

“We know our rest defence and counter pressure has to be on point. We know our transition threats and we know that every time we are in possession, we must know where is Wondeboy Makhubu because he is an important player for them in transition. 

“Deolin Mekoa sometimes plays in a double pivot role but he is often found in offensive positions and he creates a lot of problems. Tshepo Kakora also adds in that offensive threat of theirs. 

“I always say in football you must do what you can do, you can score as many goals to win a match. But if they score one and you don’t score, what will happen? That short winter blanket is important understand because sometimes you have do to what you have to do to win a match.” 

 On the other hand, Larsen said they will be playing against Bafana Bafana. 

“It feels like we are actually playing against the national team because on Tuesday I watched six starters from Sundowns for Bafana Bafana and a few on the bench. If you look at [Marcelo] Allende, [Lucas] Ribeiro and [Peter] Shalulile, had they been South Africans, they’d probably be in the national team too,” pointed out Larsen. 

“So, you’re not just playing against Sundowns and that makes this challenge even more exciting for us as a club.”

There are those who said it will be an advantage for Magesi because some of Sundowns' players only returned to Chloorkop on Wednesday after national duty, but Larsen doesn’t agree. 

“I disagree 1,000% because for the past 10 years Sundowns have mastered the art of playing every three days and they’ve been winning. So what’s going to change this time around? We are up against a formidable opponent,” he said. 

Most of the players in the Magesi team with the exception of goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze and Limbikani Mzava have played in a cup final before but Larsen says they are relaxed. 

“The players look relaxed even though there may be some nerves, some anxiousness which is normal because 90% of these boys have never played in a game of this magnitude. So, it’s normal for there to be a bit of anxiety.”