Mokwena lauds Chiefs’ improvement under Baxter

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena is expecting a well-drilled Kaizer Chiefs when the team clash in their DStv Premiership fixture on Sunday, suggesting AmaKhosi coach Stuart Baxter has already improved the team this season.

                                               
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The teams have already met this season in the MTN8 quarterfinals, where Sundowns raced into a 2-0 lead before being pegged back at 2-2 and then winning via a penalty shoot-out.

That was a month ago and Mokwena believes Chiefs will be even more of a handful this time round.

“It’s a difficult game,” Mokwena says. “If you look at the two teams, both are working to try to improve the performances. I don't think either one of us is very happy with where we are.

“But it’s very early in the season, we are content and we know where we going. But we've also watched Chiefs extensively and there's a lot of work that has been done and big improvements in relation to how they play.

“Coach Stuart and his technical team have done a very good job in already putting an imprint on the team.

“For example, before the coach arrived, they were averaging 40 passes before a box entry and now it is 34 passes before box entry They take a little bit less now, 110 seconds, before they are in your box creating a chance, as opposed to the 146 seconds that they used to take before.

“So when the coach [Baxter] speaks of transition and the work that they've done in the past, you can already see the personality and the imprint of good coaching. Clearly we are up against a very good team that is well coached and our expectation is for a very good match.”