Chiefs out to make Mandela Cup history
Chiefs out to make Mandela Cup history

Posted in News on Oct 01, 2001.

Kaizer Chiefs, the only South African team likely to win a continental cup this year, will host Club African of Tunisia in the first leg of the African Cup Winners Cup in Rustenburg on Sunday.

The on-song Naturena side have indicated they would love to dedicate the trophy, also known as the Mandela Cup, to the country's former president Nelson Mandela.

The competition has been running for 27 years and Chiefs feel it would appropriate to dedicate it to Mandela since he also spent 27 years in prison.

Amakhosi team manager Bobby Motaung said the team was under a lot of pressure.

"We have set very high standards. We said we want to win everything and we want to make history," said Motaung.

He added that while Amakhosi were playing very well, inexperience could work against them.

"We have seen their tapes and they are a very physical and tactical side. They have the advantage of having been exposed to this competition for a long time, whereas we have a very young inexperienced side.

"We will give it a run and see how it goes. As long as they do not score against us here, it is okay. We are hoping to wrap everything up at home."

Amakhosi will make history if they reach the finals of the competition as they will become the first SA team to do this. Jomo Cosmos and Orlando Pirates went as far as the semi-finals in 1993 and 1999 respectively.

Amakhosi will have to do without the services of Marco Mthembu, who is down with pneumonia but the positive news is that Thabo Mooki is back from injury.

Chiefs have had an impressive run in this competition beating Us Stade Tapponnaise of Reunion and Sunshine of Seychelles while drawing with Ismailia of Egypt.

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