Steve Komphela declares Kaizer Chiefs ready for Mamelodi Sundowns

Coach Steve Komphela says Kaizer Chiefs are rejuvenated following the international break, adding that they managed to rectify some of the mistakes and rest a few legs. 

Looking ahead to Tuesday's game against Mamelodi Sundowns, Komphela said while they look thin in defence, he has a game plan to try and stop Pitso Mosimane's team. 

Amakhosi will missing a few of their regular players, including Kgotso Moleko, Lorenzo Gordinho and Gustavo Paez for the encounter in Tshwane. 

“The Fifa break got us rejuvenated. We had an opportunity to manage the team after having a bit of fixture congestion before the break,” Komphela told the Amakhosi website.

“We corrected the areas that needed attention. We fell short in set-plays in those matches. We also want to improve on keeping the shape as well as improving the conversion rate. We worked on all that and I thought we sampled some tactics successfully in the Macufe Cup friendly,” he said. 

“We rested some legs. We are still running low on the availability of some players, especially at the back. Kgotso Moleko is a new casualty. We will be a bit thin in defence, but we will devise a strategy to deal with that,” explained the Chiefs coach.

Komphela expects Sundowns to take the game to Chiefs, especially now that they are out of the Caf Champions League and want to challenge for league honours. 

He has earmarked the likes of Khama Billiat, Percy Tau, Hlompho Kekana and George Lebese as their main threat, but the 50-year-old coach said he has a plan in place to deal with the quartet, especially Lebese, who left Chiefs for Sundowns at the start of the season. 

“Sundowns is the same team with the same coach. We know their plusses and we have prepared to counter that, while we focus on our strengths as well. They have a few combinations and the usual suspects in Khama Billiat, Percy Tau and Hlompho Kekana to watch out for,” Komphela warned. 

“They are fully focused on the league now that they are out of the Caf Champions League. They seem to send a message about George Lebese as their trump card. We know his qualities. He has been at Chiefs for nearly a decade. We are aware of his technique and his abilities. Accordingly, we will have to contain his threat,” added the 50-year-old mentor.