Dan Malesela, TS Galaxy, April 2019Backpagepix

TS Galaxy coach Dan Malesela fires stern warning at Kaizer Chiefs ahead of Nedbank Cup final

Preparation is key ahead of the 2019 Nedbank Cup final, according to TS Galaxy head coach Dan Malesela after steering his side to the tournament's showdown. 

The National First Division (NFD) side reached their maiden major cup final after stunning PSL outfit Lamontville Golden Arrows 3-1 after extra-time in a semi-final clash in Durban on Saturday.

They will now take on record 13-time Nedbank Cup champions Kaizer Chiefs in the final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on May, 18.

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“TS Galaxy need this. It will all come to who is ready,” Malesela told Daily Sun .

Galaxy became the first NFD team to reach the Nedbank Cup final since Black Leopards did in 2011.

“This (qualifying for the final) is what we wanted. Honestly, all the clubs that took part in this competition wanted to win something," he continued.

"This is the first team from the lower division to have reached the tournament’s final, as far as I can remember, but I stand to be corrected. Most of the teams ended in the semis. This is history. And we might make it. It is in our hands now," he added.

Malesela admitted that he would have preferred to face his former side, Chippa United, who were eliminated in the semi-finals by Chiefs.

“But be as it may, Chiefs are very good too. Their supporters will surely dominate us, but our supporters will be there in their numbers too, clad in our traditional red on the other side of the stadium," Malesela said.

"It will be Chiefs’ traditional yellow and gold on the other side and our red on the other. Honestly, NFD teams can compete in the field,” he added.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates captain stated that he is expecting a good spectacle driven by “open play and no parking of the bus”.

“We need that gold (medal) to mix it up with our red. Anyway, for us it is already victory being in the final and we have the medal, so we just need to fight for the colour (of the medal)," he concluded.

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