Football: African Confederation Cup-Ajax Cape Town can handle the heat – coach Rosslee |04 April 2008

Coach Craig Rosslee said this to Sports Nation yesterday at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Beach Resort & Casino on the arrival of his South African side, Ajax Cape Town, for the return match in the African Confederation Cup first round.

A former player for 14 years with Cape Town Spurs, Santos and Hellenic, coach Rosslee said his team did not get the result they expected in the first match.

“My players did not go into the match with the right frame of mind. They were disappointed with the result. Anse Réunion’s coach (Vojo Gardasevic) was obviously aware of my team’s strength and thus asked his team to play for a good result.

“I believe Anse Réunion’s coach will agree with me that one or two decisions the referee made were difficult to understand. We’re up against a team who are well coached. We know what is to be done and we’ve had enough time to prepare for the encounter. Hopefully, my boys will stick to the game plan.”

The ‘Urban Warriors’ of Ajax Cape Town will go into tomorrow’s game at Stad Linite with a goal advantage. Granwald Scott scored the only goal of the first leg encounter at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town in the 16th minute after Nathan Paulse had flicked the ball to him from a Mkhanyiseli Siwahla corner kick.

Second in the South African Absa Premiership and bidding to win a first PSL title, Ajax Cape Town are said to be a good technical side who play attacking football. It is hoped then that they display some attractive football for local fans’ enjoyment.

“We are a technical side and the astro-turf pitch will suit our team. We are in the lead and we have to see what Anse Réunion have to offer on their home ground. They should be coming at us to get a goal back and by doing so their defence will be exposed. Remember, football is a mental game,” said Rosslee.

On the Ajax Cape Town team are a number of quality players like South African international left back Brett Evans, South African Under-20 player Aidan Jenniker, young Cameroon international Enoh Eyong and Congolese international Bageta Dikilu.

While goalkeeper Hans Vonk has not made the trip to Seychelles as, according to coach Rosslee, he is busy with the Bafana Bafana (South Africa national team), Ajax welcome back influential capped midfielder Clifford Ngobeni and Nazeer Allie, who have recovered fully from injury.

G. G.