As Cape Town City prepare for their next big challenge in their very first away game, coach Eric Tinkler has two tough decisions to negotiate. How will the new Cape PSL club approach tomorrow’s MTN8 semi-final, first-leg clash against Wits at Bidvest Stadium? And who will step into the massive void left by the brilliant Aubrey Modiba?
City opened their debut season in the PSL with two victories - a 2-0 win against Polokwane City in the league and a 1-0 success over Kaizer Chiefs in the cup quarter-finals. Both games, though, were played at Cape Town Stadium. With quite a few foreign newcomers in the City squad, it will be interesting to see how they fare on the road.
In the Polokwane match, Tinkler’s game plan was to attack the opposition, while the opposite was the case for the Chiefs fixture. Against Amakhosi, City sat back, allowed them the ball, but then pounced on their errors with a brutally efficient counter-offensive strategy. So how will the City coach approach the Wits challenge? Offence or circumspection?
Tinkler was giving nothing away ahead of tomorrow’s clash, but he's adamant that his team would be positive. There was no thought in his mind that Wits could be too difficult at home in Johannesburg, especially taking into account the magnificent start to the season they've had.
“Whatever we do, we will apply ourselves well,” said Tinkler. “I think you saw that in both our games to date. The important thing is to at least try and get an away goal as that will provide us with something to bring back to Cape Town for the second leg.
“At the moment, we plan game by game. The season is still long. We have got off to a great start, but the important thing is to remain focused and disciplined. There’s still a long, hard road ahead,” he added.
“This squad is still very new, we have to completely rebuild it, and that takes time. There are still quite a few things we need to work on, both in attack and defence, and it will get better with every game the team plays.”
The second leg of the semi-finals between City and Wits is scheduled for September 17 at Cape Town Stadium.
As for the left-back position, with Modiba joining SuperSport United just before the transfer window closed last Wednesday, there is an opportunity for someone else to step up. Tinkler has a few options in youngster Ebrahim Seedat, new loan signing Thato Mokeke, and even Australian Matt Sim.
“Seedat’s a great talent, I’d like to see how he goes, while Mokeke is quite versatile,” said Tinkler. “I remember when Mokeke was at Ajax he was used in a number of positions, including left-back.”
Sim was apparently signed as a left-back but Tinkler has deployed the hard-working 28-year-old in central midfield, where he has performed with aplomb.
So, with Sim likely to be used in midfield again, the left-back slot looks to be a toss-up between Seedat and Mokeke. Who will Tinkler opt for? Well, at this stage he’s mum about his plans.
But, irrespective of how Tinkler decides to play it and whoever plays at left-back, one thing is certain: Lebogang Manyama will be City’s go-to man if they are to emerge with something positive tomorrow.
Manyama has had a wonderful start to the new season. He came to prominence during a spell with Ajax Cape Town (2010-2013) and now, back in the Mother City, he’s regained his best form.
“I know it will be tough against Wits because they have a great squad with some really talented players,” he said.
“They fight all the time, they never give up and they are difficult to break down. With all of this, the big thing for us (is) to make sure that, when we get a scoring chance, we must take it.”
Fixtures:
MTN8 semi-finals, first leg
Saturday
Wits v Cape Town City (Bidvest Stadium, 8.15pm)
Sunday
Chippa United v Mamelodi Sundowns (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, 3pm)
Cape Times