Magesi FC head coach Clinton Larsen has dismissed the notion that the team would be on the back foot against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout Final on Saturday, 23 November 2024.
Dikwena Tša Meetse will be the home team, with the Brazilians coming in as the away side, during the clash at Toyota Stadium, with kick off at 18H00.
“You know, it might seem like ‘Mission Impossible’ and maybe me being Tom Cruise, going into this encounter thinking Mamelodi Sundowns beat Golden Arrows 5-0 in the Round of 16, in the quarterfinals they beat Kaizer Chiefs 4-0, and in the semis, they beat Marumo Gallants 2-0. So, you might be thinking Magesi stands no chance of beating Sundowns,” Larsen told the media ahead of the clash.
“But the positives we can take out of that are the fact that every one of those teams created chances against Mamelodi Sundowns. When you play them, the only difference is whether you take those chances or not because you will get chances.”
Larsen acknowledged that it’d be a daunting task against Sundowns. However, Magesi FC has faced many difficult opponents and prevailed, including Orlando Pirates in the last 16.
“We are up against a formidable opponent; it feels like we are actually playing against the national team, because I watched six starters from Sundowns (for Bafana against South Sudan) and a few on the bench. If you look at Marcelo Allende, Lucas Ribeiro, and Peter Shalulile—had they been South African, they’d probably be in the national team too. That’s what makes this challenge all the more exciting for us as a club,” he said.
Larsen added, “If we are prepared to fight tooth and nail out there, we will always have a chance. Defensively, we have to be resolute, and when we create a few chances, we need to bury them, and that’s going to give us a chance to win this game.”
Magesi FC are at full strength, with only defender Sello Motsepe sidelined with a long-term shoulder injury, according to Larsen.
