One would think that given the fact that in around six seasons as a PSL coach with either Kaizer Chiefs or Ajax Cape Town, Muhsin Ertugral has only ever lost one in seven matches played against Mamelodi Sundowns, which was a BOB Save Super Bowl semifinal in April 2001, would give the Chiefs coach a lot of reasons to look forward to Sunday’s Nedbank Cup clash against Sundowns.

According to Ertugral it is not the historical or statistical advantage that he holds over the team. When as coach of Ajax Cape Town a season ago he was defeated in the final of this very competition. It is the way that his team are currently playing and their recent form that has him feeling that his charges can proceed into the quarterfinals of the 2008 Nedbank Cup.

Positive Outlook

In what will be a repeat of this seasons Telkom Knock Out Cup Final when Chiefs defeated Sundowns in December, Ertugral will be hoping that once again he gets his game plan spot on for the Brazilians. At present Ertugral believes that there is a lot of positive points coming out of his teams play, as he explained to kaizerchiefs.com saying: “we have worked over the past few weeks to take our game to a certain level. It has been hard work getting to this point given the criticism the team faced recently, seeing the way the guys have responded under has really pleased me.

"Our overall work rate and levels of enthusiasm have been up in recent matches, and when you have a team who eagerly anticipate their next match, you can only believe that good things are going to come from this team. They have the will and the craving to win trophies and as a coach you could not ask for more from them. Well maybe that they win the match I guess, all the ingredients to do that exist in the frame work of the team”.

Measured approach

Sunday afternoon's encounter against Sundowns presents Chiefs with another obstacle in their path on their way to Nedbank Cup success; The Amakhosi coach knows that his team have to put a lot in order to repeat their recent Nedbank triumph over Ajax Cape Town in the earlier round of competition.

“Sundowns are not going to come into this came thinking that they not going to the next round. So you going to have two teams who are finding form and who come into this match having beaten strong opposition in earlier rounds, for us the match will actually be won in the way that we prepare for the game through the week. It is going to take a strong effort to win against Sundowns and we must expect to be tested for we worth by them”.