Kruger coach sends Chiefs warning ahead of Premiership opener
· Citizen
Kruger United head coach Abram Mongoya has promised a difficult game for Kaizer Chiefs when the two sides meet in their Betway Premiership opener at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday evening.
Kruger on Chiefs – ‘What a way to start!’
The Mpumalanga-based side won promotion to the Premiership this season after winning the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
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“What a way to start for Kruger United,’ said Mongoya yesterday at the Betway Premiership launch in Houghton.
“It is a nice warm welcome. We have built a decent squad and it is going to be a very good game. I can promise we will give our best and make sure we give Chiefs a very good run (for their money).”
Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz also believes it will not be easy against the Premiership newbies.
“It is always difficult to play a club that comes from the second division because they are in a positive dynamic,” said Da Cruz.
“But we will give our best on Saturday. I know there is a lot of pressure. This is not only from Amakhosi fans, I also put pressure on myself. Most important is how we prepare for Saturday.”
Sitting alongside Da Cruz at the launch, which marks 30 years of Premiership football, were former Chiefs co-head coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef.
This is because Kaze and Ben Youssef will face off on Saturday on different benches as head coaches of their new sides, Sekhukhune United and Durban City. The game will be played at Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa.
‘Hopefully it will be a great game’
“We didn’t expect to start the season with this game!,” said Ben Youssef.
‘A couple of months before we were working together for the same team. Now we are each on a new mission. We both want to compete and fight for our team and hopefully it will be a great game.
“Each one of us has to prove the work we have done during the pre-season.”
Kaze, meanwhile, seemed happier the two sides were meeting on the opening weekend.
“I think it is a good thing the first game is Sekhukhune against Durban City,” said Kaze.
“Because we can put this aside very early. I hope the best team wins. We have worked together for a couple of years, not only with our previous club (Chiefs), even in Tanzania. I am sure it will be a very entertaining game. Also the important thing is that we are not representing a game between two people. This is a game between Sekhukhune and Durban City.”