In true Steve Komphela fashion, the Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach offered a philosophical analogy of the occasion that awaits players at FNB the Stadium on Saturday. Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns will renew rivalries in a sold-out Carling Knockout quarter-final affair at the iconic venue. Having previously coached Amakhosi in the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates, Komphela is aware of the daunting task and psychological barriers players need to overcome to perform under pressure.
ALSO READ: Komphela encouraged by Shalulile’s form ahead of Chiefs clash “It’s going to be packed and that stadium will be golden and black and yellow so you have to perform,” Komphela said. “Players get affected by such environments but big players love these environments and players who get intimidated, the environment swallows them. “So we need to work not only from a technical, tactical preparation and all that but it’s going to be more psychological as well (in order) to have the nerve to perform under thousands of people.
” Although the Brazilians have the psychological edge heading into the game after the 2-1 win in a Betway Premiership match in September, Komphela has raised a couple of questions his team needs to answer in their bid to advance to the semi-finals. “The last 15 minutes you could feel their change even though there were certain things that we could have done better,” Komphela said when reflecting on the recent encounter that saw Sundowns claw their way back .
