Siwelele use election break to prepare for Kaizer Chiefs cup clash

Siwelele FC head coach Godfrey Mosoetsa believes the postponement of league fixtures for the elections has given his side valuable preparation time before Sunday’s Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final against Kaizer Chiefs.

Siwelele will travel to Polokwane to face Chiefs at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, with the winners earning a place in the domestic cup semi-finals.

Both teams enter the tie after defeats last weekend. Siwelele were beaten 3-2 by Marumo Gallants, while Chiefs lost 2-1 to their Soweto Derby rivals.

The two sides will also be without important players because of suspensions. Aphiwe Baliti is unavailable for Siwelele, while Kaizer Chiefs defender Inacio Miguel will miss the match after being sent off in the derby.

However, Mosoetsa says the public holiday linked to the elections allowed his squad to concentrate fully on the cup fixture without the demands of league matches.

“Yesterday, [Wednesday] we had a breather with elections, to focus on the fixture this weekend without any disruptions,” he said.

The Siwelele coach also acknowledged the challenge of facing a club with the size and support of Kaizer Chiefs, but said the occasion itself should provide enough motivation for his players.

“If you look at the teams that are left in the competition, there’s no team you could say wouldn’t want to play against, they are all competitive,” Mosoetsa said.

“We look forward to this one, especially playing Kaizer Chiefs – who have lot of supporters everywhere that come in numbers, we’re looking forward to playing.

“It’s one of the big clubs in the country, as a coach, you don’t need much to motivate the players, they are looking forward to the game, in a big crowd, it’s a motivation already.”