Ex-Mamelodi Sundowns skipper Hlompho Kekana has named the one team he never loved playing against during his illustrious career.
Kekana recently hung his boots after a glittering career that almost spanned two decades.
He has since told FARPost which team he dreaded facing during his time as a player.
“I never loved playing against Pirates, I don’t want to lie to you.
“When I was a footballer it was always a difficult fixture psychologically and emotionally so. And I’m sure if I was feeling that way before, I guess other players feel the same when they are about to play against Pirates.”
Sundowns host Pirates in the second leg semifinal clash set for the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Kekana highlighted the importance of the Brazilians playing their home games in Polokwane instead of their traditional home ground, Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Exposure, accessibility and visibility have proven to be the driving factors for the eagerly-awaited showpiece.
And that has been clear as the Premier Soccer League [PSL] confirmed that the tickets for this afternoon’s MTN8 semifinal fixture between Sundowns and Pirates at Peter Mokaba Stadium are officially sold-out.
And this achievement feels like a game-changing moment as the stadium never had a sold-out affair after the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
KEKANA’S VIEWS…
“For me, I think it was a good thing to do that. You know, particularly in the situation that Polokwane finds themselves in, Limpopo as a whole where they don’t have a big team that plays in PSL and this is a semifinal and is a huge fixture in Africa,” Kekana told FARPost.
“We all know when the two teams meet they will get the support. I’m pretty sure football fans will come in numbers to witness the good brand of football.
“And I hope the players come to the party with that and I believe it is going to be an interesting match.
Kekana further stated: “One can imagine what it’s going to be like for players and what they are going through now in terms of the preparations going into the match.”
