Online Reporter
Tongai Mashonga [email protected]
HARDROCK coach Kelvin Kaindu is not under estimating Herentals FC ahead of Sunday’s Munhumutapa Challenge Cup quarter-final tie at Chahwanda Stadium, describing the Students as one of the most unpredictable sides in the league.
The Kwekwe side goes into the October 4 match as favourites after back-to-back giant-killing wins over Scottland FC and Highlanders, but their coach Kelvin Kaindu insists Herentals will present a completely different test.
“For us we are playing Herentals over the weekend which is a team that is unpredictable. They are not here by luck, they are a team that can pick results even when you don’t anticipate them to do that,” said Kaindu.
He said Herentals have been consistent in the league in the past few years that they have been participating and as such it is not going to be an easy game looking at their physicality and how aggressive they can be when they are playing against any team.
“Herentals of course is not an easy game. They will definitely watch us and probably get to know more details about us but the ability of a quality team is being able to win against the opponents even after they have studied how you play,” said Kaindu.
The quarter-final comes at a defining moment for Hardrock, who this season have exceeded their own survival target.
According to Kaindu, the main objective for the year was simply to establish themselves as a Premier League team.
“It’s quite important for us to focus on our main objective for the team and the objectives of the team this year was for us to establish ourselves as a Premier League team and hopefully that we’ll be able to survive,” said Kaindu.
He said looking at the pedigree that the club president brought and also the amount of sponsorship and support, it shows Hardrock are a club slowly establishing itself.
Kaindu said with a few games remaining, his team can confidently confirm that they are not among the teams that are fighting relegation.
“We still have an opportunity to take part in the two cups that are available,” he said.
Competing in the two cups, plus the league, has however brought its own headache. With the PSL fixture list showing the league will end very late this year, the teams will have very little time to rest as they are expected to regroup in the first week of January. Kaindu said given the obtaining situation, rotation is now unavoidable.
“Of course there are three competitions that we have. We need to know how to balance given that the league will end very late,” he said.
