The event decider plays out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium with Chiefs coming in as the reigning champions after edging out their biggest rivals Orlando Pirates in last year’s Final in Durban.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
History could naturally be swinging in the direction of this trophy remaining at Naturena but Komphela is not fussing about the past but instead wants to make sure that he gets one over the Urban Warriors.
“What is more important for us is to defend the trophy,” states Komphela.
“You look at history but history cannot determine what happens, it can only be a point of reference and the teams are different as well. You know how it is wherever Kaizer Chiefs goes we enjoy great support from AmaKhosi and we looking forward to that and we hope they will come and enjoy the match with us giving a good performance so that come Sunday we would have defended the trophy.”
Though Chiefs are unbeaten this season Ajax are the current leaders in the League.
“You highlight those. You can’t be naive and live in a world that is not realistic. It is clear and the record stands for itself but then at the back of that you cannot be swallowed by that kind of thinking because it will paralyse you. So we are saying yes it is true but we are no different. We are no different because no one has ever been given a message that they will win forever. There is always a first time. You don’t know when it will happen, it is just a matter of time. That it will happen is inevitable, it is just a matter of when. To happen it will happen,” says Komphela.
The former Bafana Bafana skipper also gives an informed analysis of what Ajax is all about, noting with emphasis that Roger de Sa is no small-time coach.
“I think we all know that the Ajax Cape Town team is very youthful and have a high level of technical ability and from a tactical point of view they have a smart coach. Roger is no small coach and the way he approaches matches is highly thoughtful. He also has the kind of players that will bring a different game plan. Ajax could come wide and they could hurt you through wing play as their crossing game is also clear or when they come out from the wing into the box it is clear. If they opt to come central whether on the ground they have the personnel and the capacity. [Bantu] Mzwakali and them can come in central on the ground. If he opts to be hurtful in his approach he could bring in Nathan Paulse and put the ball in the air and play on second ball,” narrates Komphela.
“So they have all those dimensions, so they can bring anything at you and it is a cup final and you don’t know what he says to his players. Does he say ‘I don’t care how you play, what I want to see happen is us lifting the trophy’ …we have to deal with that. Or he says listen go out there and enjoy the moment because it comes but once in the MTN8 this season so enjoy that. You don’t know that. At the back they have a clear centre-back pairing in [Abbubakar] Mobara and Rivaldo Coetzee if he is available because reports have been that he is likely to be. [Mosa] Lebusa helps them and on the right they still have [Aiden] Jenniker, [Anssi] Jaakkola is also helping them defensively as a goalkeeper. So all in all when you look at the team, you see a team that when you look at the log it is not by accident that they are on top and that is a message to everybody that yes, both teams are in the Final and both teams are there on top of the League so it is not going to be easy match. It will be very interesting,” Komphela concludes.