Mbuyane wary ahead of GU tie

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Friday February 12, 2010 00:00

 

The two teams clash in the preliminaries of the prestigious competition tomorrow at the University of Botswana Stadium before GU visit the South Africans for the return leg two weeks later. Pirates boasts of an array of stars in Teko Modise, Andile Jali, Gert Schalkwyk and Lucas Thwala. 

Mbuyane warned his team mates that playing away from home will be demanding. “We’ll be playing away from home in another country against a team that we do not know so it’s not going to be easy.

I don’t know much about the Botswana league but I’ve seen good players that come from Botswana.

We have the likes of Phenyo (Mongala) and Dipsy (Diphetogo Selolwane) in our league and they are talented players. That shows that there is talent in Botswana and we should expect a tough encounter. It is going to be difficult but we have to go there and work very hard to get a good result,” he told Mmegi Sport.

Pirates is home to former Township Rollers winger, Mongala whom Mbuyane rates highly.

The Buccaneers became the first southern African club to win the Champions League in 1995. It took an improbable 1-0 win over ASEC Mimosas at their fortress in Abidjan in the second leg to clinch the title.

The Sea Robbers had appeared dead and buried when they were held 2-2 by ASEC at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

Mbuyane has faith in the current crop and is convinced they have what it takes to repeat the 1995 exploit. “We want to do well in the Champions League and go as far as possible. We just have to go and give it our best because that is possible.

Our preparations are going on well and all the guys are happy and working hard to impress the coach since we’re coming from a break,” he explained.