KAIZER Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter is convinced he has the antidote for tricky National First Division side United FC, whom he believes play "expansive football", when the two teams meet in the Nedbank Cup semifinal tomorrow night.
Chiefs are still recovering from the shock 3-1 defeat to Ajax Cape Town in a midweek league match.
Baxter admitted that the anticipation from Amakhosi supporters eager for their team to win the championship as well as the cup was perhaps getting to his players.
However, the coach said the slide will not continue against United at the FNB Stadium.
Kickoff is at 8.15pm.
"We've faced a few teams that play expansive football. (Mamelodi) Sundowns is one team that does it well and we have often coped against them. I think if we return to the basics, we should again be comfortable," Baxter said.
"I don't think we should suddenly change the way we have been playing because of the loss against Ajax. For me, maybe to say it was a one-off is a bit conceited, but I think it was a special one."
United look to have modelled their game on that of the Sundowns of old - with the free-flowing passing style evident on the road to the semifinals.
Their coach, Dan Malesela, is a former great of The Brazilians and his young team has wowed many. A large number of the squad is made up of Sundowns players, who are on loan.
Baxter refuted suggestions that Chiefs' defence has looked fragile in recent league matches, when reminded that tomorrow night's opponents had scored a minimum of two goals in every game so far in the competition.
Malesela said he would rather play attractive football than simply steal a win against the Soweto giants.
"It would be nice to beat Kaizer Chiefs, yes, but the results are not of primary importance to us," Malesela said yesterday.
"I think football is important - it's not the competition that's important. It is not necessarily whether you play the Nedbank Cup or not. It's about what should be pleasing to the eye and to the supporters."
Malesela added that he was excited to be pitted against Amakhosi, but insisted that the fixture would be like any other.
"It's just another game. For us, it's more of a learning process because we are trying to prepare ourselves in case we get into the Premiership"
"The league (NFD) would be much more important, but I think that football is key," said Malesela, who will rely on the likes of Siyabule Shai and Walter Maponyane.
Renielwe Letsholonyane and Siphiwe Tshabalala could prove a handful for United. - Additional reporting by Sapa
Bax's antidote to united flow
KAIZER Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter is convinced he has the antidote for tricky National First Division side United FC, whom he believes play "expansive football", when the two teams meet in the Nedbank Cup semifinal tomorrow night.
Chiefs are still recovering from the shock 3-1 defeat to Ajax Cape Town in a midweek league match.
Baxter admitted that the anticipation from Amakhosi supporters eager for their team to win the championship as well as the cup was perhaps getting to his players.
However, the coach said the slide will not continue against United at the FNB Stadium.
Kickoff is at 8.15pm.
"We've faced a few teams that play expansive football. (Mamelodi) Sundowns is one team that does it well and we have often coped against them. I think if we return to the basics, we should again be comfortable," Baxter said.
"I don't think we should suddenly change the way we have been playing because of the loss against Ajax. For me, maybe to say it was a one-off is a bit conceited, but I think it was a special one."
United look to have modelled their game on that of the Sundowns of old - with the free-flowing passing style evident on the road to the semifinals.
Their coach, Dan Malesela, is a former great of The Brazilians and his young team has wowed many. A large number of the squad is made up of Sundowns players, who are on loan.
Baxter refuted suggestions that Chiefs' defence has looked fragile in recent league matches, when reminded that tomorrow night's opponents had scored a minimum of two goals in every game so far in the competition.
Malesela said he would rather play attractive football than simply steal a win against the Soweto giants.
"It would be nice to beat Kaizer Chiefs, yes, but the results are not of primary importance to us," Malesela said yesterday.
"I think football is important - it's not the competition that's important. It is not necessarily whether you play the Nedbank Cup or not. It's about what should be pleasing to the eye and to the supporters."
Malesela added that he was excited to be pitted against Amakhosi, but insisted that the fixture would be like any other.
"It's just another game. For us, it's more of a learning process because we are trying to prepare ourselves in case we get into the Premiership"
"The league (NFD) would be much more important, but I think that football is key," said Malesela, who will rely on the likes of Siyabule Shai and Walter Maponyane.
Renielwe Letsholonyane and Siphiwe Tshabalala could prove a handful for United. - Additional reporting by Sapa
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