Tshepo Motsoeneng: Kaizer Chiefs will be under pressure
Motsoeneng: Chiefs will be under pressure
Posted: 2010-03-19 06:39
Santos goalkeeper Tshepo Motsoeneng believes the obligation on Kaizer Chiefs to deliver for their success-starved fans will count against them at Newlands on Sunday.
The Peoples Team clash with AmaKhosi in a Telkom Knockout Cup game and despite playing in Cape Town, Chiefs fans will most likely outweigh those of their Santos counterparts.
Motsoeneng has been in superb form in the Santos goal this season, barely putting a foot wrong. And despite remaining side-lined from the Bafana Bafana set-up, he will have a good chance to showcase his skills to the nation against a side missing national team number one Ithumeleng Khune.
Motsoeneng claims to be content in facing the giants of South African football.
"This is one of the easier games we could have had in the draw in that we need no extra motivation. Chiefs will be the ones under pressure – people will say they are a bad side if they lose, but the same won't be said about Santos."
The Cape side had the second best defensive record in the League. Motsoeneng says communication has been the key.
Another factor would be the consistency in selection – Wayne Arendse, Mogogi Gabonamong, Ricardo Skippers and to a lesser extent, Thabiso Ntloana, have played in almost every game.
"A goalkeeper needs to understand his defenders' habits, good and bad. When I arrived at the team they may have thought I was a bit harsh with the way I shouted at them, but after a few weeks we all had a good understanding," says the 31-year-old, who started his career with Bloemfontein Young Tigers.
While coach Boebie Solomons stated at a pre-match press conference that his side are a far more attacking unit these days, key to success against Chiefs could however well still lie in the sound defence of Motsoeneng and his back four.
There will also certainly be some added needle to this game after Santos were fined by the DC this week for their unsportsmanlike behaviour in a 1-0 loss to Chiefs in Port Elizabeth.
Their protests came about after they had what appeared to be a legitimate Eleazar Rodgers goal disallowed and even though the ball was handled by a Chiefs' defender on the way into the net, no penalty was awarded either.
: 2010-03-19 09:45
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