Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena has denied he’s being targeted with harsh tackles by opposition this season.
The PSL Footballer of the Season has been on the receiving end of some harsh challenges, with two being punished with red cards, Vuis Mncube and Andile Jali for Sekhukhune United and Moroka Swallows respectively.
Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena said he doesn’t think ‘Tebza’ was targeted specifically but it could be a possibility of him being targeted as the reigning Player of the Season and the reception of the award, which split opinion.
“No I don’t think I’m being targeted, no I’m not being targeted, so no [I won’t say that],” Mokoena said before revealing how they’ve prepared for the game.
“We don’t prepare much because we don’t have much time, but we’re always ready for the next game, because when it comes to Sundowns, we play two games a week and we must always be ready for the challenge.”
Coming up against his former coach Kaitano Tembo, whom he worked with at SuperSport United, Mokoena reveals he knows what to expect at the King Zwelithini Stadium today.
“I expect a difficult game of course, knowing coach Kaitano and how hard he is, I know how they will approach the game because I know when we’re playing Sundowns while I was still at SuperSport, he used to say amano, amano,” Mokoena said.
“So when the ball arrives, the man arrives… so yeah it’s going to be a tough game, hard game, harsh tackles, I expect a tough game. I think they’ll play on the counterattack with [Sanele] Barns, [Somila] Ntsundwana, and they have Lucky, a good passer of the ball.”
Sundowns who’ve started the season with four consecutive wins take on the Natal Richboyz who’ve not tasted victory in eight months at 17h00.
