GU, Chiefs face tough CAF ties

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Friday February 7, 2014 17:16

 

Moatlhaping is said to be attending to personal problems and could not travel with the team. The striker has been in the news lately after he was put on the transfer list before he starred in his club’s 4-0 demolition of Uniao Flamengo Santos 4-0 last Friday.

Selefa is said to have failed to travel with the team because he does not have a passport. However, coach, David Bright said the defender might not have been mentally ready to play against Supersport. Selefa is said to have told the coach recently that he is afraid of being involved in such a high profile game following the injury to his arm that sidelined him for a long time. Although he has been playing locally, Selefa told Bright he does not think he can feature in a high profile game.

Bright told journalists that he tried unsuccessfully to convince the player that the game against Supersport is the same as the ones he played against Township Rollers or Mochudi Centre Chiefs. Then as preparations intensified for the trip, it was realised that Selefa does not have a passport. “I realised that he was not mentally ready to play this game so we dropped him,” Bright said.

In the absence of Selefa, GU is likely to play Gaopatwe Seosenyeng and Letsweletse Seane in central defence. Tumisang Sekanonyane will provide cover in defence. GU roped has roped in a specialist to check the level of fitness of players ahead of the Supersport game. “The specialist found that the level of fitness is at 70 to 80 percent which is good going into the game,” Bright said.

“I have never lost a game at Lucas Moripe Stadium while I was coaching in South Africa. Hopefully I can do the same with GU,” he added. He said Supersport United prefer power play with Senegalese striker, Mame Niang as one of the players to watch. 

GU played a warm up friendly against fellow continental campaigners, Chiefs on Wednesday. This weekend, Chiefs are away to Dynamos of Zimbabwe in the CAF Champions League.

Chiefs will take a strong squad to Harare with about 10 players having featured in the same competition last year. “We have studied our opponents. We believe we know how they play and how they will approach this game,” Chiefs’ assistant coach, Odirile Matlhaku said. He said they will play cautiously and try to get a goal or two. “Our main objective is not to lose this game and we want to score a goal if not two. That will give us the opportunity to kill them off here in the second leg,” he said.

GU’s game kick offs at 8.15pm tomorrow while Chiefs’ match against Dynamos starts at 3:30 pm on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ntesang Simanyana’s transfer to GU has hit a snag following reports that his club, Polokwane City of South Africa has changed its mind. They had initially put him on the transfer list and GU opened talks with them. The team where Modiri Marumo and Galabgwe Moyana are playing is said to have played hide and seek over the transfer of Simanyana. The issue is said to be now with the South African Football Association (SAFA).