Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs striker Kenny Niemach has backed Amakhosi to come out on top when his former teams meet in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup Knockout this weekend.
Niemach played for both Sundowns and Chiefs in the early 2000s is looking forward to a “fascinating encounter” between the two teams, saying Chiefs could be out for revenge after they got beat 2-1 by Sundowns in a recent league encounter.
“In recent times, Sundowns have had an upper hand against Chiefs, but I feel this time will be different,” Niemach told Showmax.
“Chiefs have a new manager and new staff, and they have implemented a proper structure, and have a new system in place.
“Judging by the mood ahead of the fixture, and the fact that Chiefs lost recently to Sundowns, they're going to want to pull one over on Sundowns. I suspect that Kaizer Chiefs is going to come into this game with a more vengeful attitude because of the last encounter.
“They are going to come out with a point to prove and so I feel they will just pip it.”
Both teams claimed big victories in the round of 16, with Chiefs getting the better of SuperSport United in a 4-0 win, while Sundowns thumped Golden Arrows 5-0 to progress to the next round.
Both teams, however, also suffered defeat over the weekend, with SuperSport returning the favour in a league encounter against Amakhosi, while Masandawana were shocked 1-0 by Polokwane City.
Niemach knows that Chiefs will have to be at their very best if they are going to get a positive result against the current PSL champions.
“Sundowns have been impeccable over the last few years. Their style of play has been maintained ... their identity has been maintained,” the Durban-born striker added.
“They play possession football, catch you on the break, play short passes and have quick interplay, this is how they play. They haven’t lost their identity at all, so they will be tough to beat.”
@JohnGoliath82