Kaizer Chiefs captain Yusuf Maart has lauded the club’s management for taking the team out on a team-building exercise at Zwartkops Raceway in Centurion on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s showdown away to rampaging Mamelodi Sundowns.
The entire Chiefs squad, alongside their coach, Nasreddine Nabi, indulged in car racing-related activities, also getting a brief skid pan driving lesson as they “were taking their minds off things” ahead of facing runaway log-leaders Sundowns in a sold-out affair at Lucas Moripe Stadium (3.30pm).
“This is a good team-building exercise … we are bonding as brothers and enjoying driving these fast cars. It was a good decision from management to take us out to get our minds off things ahead of a very big game against Sundowns,” Maart said shortly after racing in a Toyota GR86.
As much as the odds are stacked against Chiefs, given their inconsistency, Maart believes they have what it takes to upset Sundowns. Chiefs were thumped 4-1 by SuperSport United at FNB Stadium in their outing last Tuesday.
“It’s possible to beat Sundowns. We are also a big team, so we must take that mentality into the game on Saturday. We create a lot of chances and that shows we’re not playing badly, so we are really confident that we can get something on Saturday,” the Chiefs skipper said.
On Saturday, Chiefs will have unlikely backers in the form of their archrivals Orlando Pirates, who will be hoping they do them a favour against Sundowns as they’re battling with them for the championship.
Yet, Maart has maintained that they are not in the business of doing anyone favours as they “run their own race”.
“In football there are no favours at all. We are playing for our own objectives as we are running our own race. We need points for ourselves, so we can’t be thinking about other teams,” Maart said.
Chiefs will be without suspended Gaston Sirino against his former side Sundowns.
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