Polokwane respond to Zamalek's controversial claim insisting 'even President Cyril Ramaphosa lands here' ahead of CAF Confederation Cup outing against Kaizer Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs are set to host Zamalek in Group D's CAF Confederation Cup assignment to be staged at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The fixture is scheduled for Saturday, November 29, a week after facing Al Masry in Egypt in their first pool assignment at the Suez Stadium in Egypt. 

If the Glamour Boys lose the game, it will put the technical team as well as the playing unit under pressure ahead of the remaining four games in the group. 

Zamalek will enjoy getting another win since it will put them in a prime position to advance to the last eight of the competition. Knowing this, the Egyptian outfit wanted to ensure they have accorded their players the comfort they needed to avoid fatigue. 

Reports have it that they wanted to use a private plane directly to Polokwane Airport and bypass the likes of Johannesburg or Tambo International Airport. However, they complained that Polokwane has a small airport, which forced them to change their travel plans.

The Gateway Airport Authority Limited spokesperson Tshepo Ramokgopa insists the allegations by Zamalek are not factual since Polokwane has hosted bigger planes. 

“We are an international airport that accepts or lands international flights on many occasions,” he said in his interview with FARPost.

“However, we don’t have a commercial international airline. But we land on private chartered flights and international flights. For example, Germany landed here when the minister of health, Nina Warken, attended the G20 Health Ministry meeting [earlier this month]. We also had the president [Cyril Ramaphosa] landing here on the 18 of November.

“We have had football nations landing here like Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Bafana Bafana, Tanzania and Nigeria when they were playing at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. So we don’t have any challenges at all," Ramokgopa concluded. 

Ahead of the outing, co-coach Youssef Ben Khalil insists there is no room for mistakes since it is a must-win game for them. He has just urged supporters to turn out in large numbers and cheer the players to victory.

“Zamalek are one of the best teams in Africa with huge experience in continental competition,” he told the media.

“It will be a tough game, but if we want to qualify, we cannot afford any mistakes at home. We need to win our home matches and collect more points away. 

We know our fans, we know the stadium, and we know it will be full. Their support means everything. I hope next weekend we’ll win and put ourselves in a better position in the group,” Ben Youssef concluded.

In Egypt, Chiefs had to do without the services of Gaston Sirino, who was suspended, but is now ready to be included on Saturday.

Despite his inconsistency, Sirino knows how to open tight defences with his intelligence, something which the Glamour Boys struggled to do against Al Masry. 

The team missed Glody Lilepo and Khanyisa Mayo due to injuries, but the supporters hope the former will be available from a reported hamstring injury.