In-form Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Neo Maema expects Orlando Pirates to take the fight to them when the two SA football giants meet on Saturday, 04 February.
The two PSL rivals will meet in the second round match of the DStv Premiership clash at Orlando Stadium at 15:30.
During the first round match at Loftus Versfeld in December, Masandawana were 2-0 victorious.
Pirates are currently 24 points behind the log leaders, Sundowns but Maema insists they can never underestimate the Buccaneers, especially playing at their home turf.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS READY FOR THE ORLANDO PIRATES BATTLE
“We are expecting highly motivated Pirates. We know that playing a big game no one needs motivation when it comes to such big games,” said Maema ahead of the match.
“I expect them to come more (at us) because they have also gotten into their confidence. Into the gelling of their players, so I think we are expecting a very difficult match against a highly motivated team.
“Pirates are going to come the same way that they came in the first fixture that we played against them. Now they are a bit more different because they used to play three at the back, now they play four.
So they are going to be very motivated. But I think some of their game model has not changed much,” he explained.
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“They are very dangerous on the counter so it’s something that we are going to expect from Pirates. One thing about Pirates is that their supporters are going to be behind them because they are playing at home. So it’s not going to be foreign for them to try to get more numbers upfront.
“So it won’t be a surprise to see them coming at us, but we have our own goals. Our own processes, we know how to guard against such, we just can’t wait for the game over the weekend.”
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