Kaizer Chiefs coach Kaze: Pressure is on Orlando Pirates in Nedbank Cup final
Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Cedric Kaze says the team is comfortable with the underdog label ahead of Saturday's Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates. .
The Nedbank Cup final kicks off at 3.30pm on Saturday and will be played in front of a sold-out crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
With Pirates currently on a five-game winning streak in the Soweto Derby, all the anticipation for the Sea Robbers to make it a sixth win in a row.
Kaze, however, has embraced his team not being given a chance.
'I'm very happy to come into this game as an underdog,' Kaze told the media in Durban on Wednesday.
'And we know what are our chances, we played them not long ago. We feel it is a privilege to play them two times in such a short period, but a final is a final and I'm very happy that all the pressure from this final is on Orlando Pirates' shoulders.'
The Soweto giants meet for the second time in a week, with Pirates having edged Chiefs 2-1 in their recent Betway Premiership clash. But Kaze believes the nature of a cup final changes the equation.
'The beauty of games like this is that there is no need for extra motivation because everyone is already fully motivated,' he said.
'It is a final (of the Nedbank Cup) and it's a derby, so motivation is at maximum. In fact, we have to try and calm the mood slightly to prevent the players getting too tense and overhyped.'
'You need a good balance to give a good performance. You have to have a clear head to carry out the game-plan, and play without fear.'
Despite a difficult season under new coach Nasreddine Nabi, Chiefs will be aiming to end a near 10-year trophy drought.
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