Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi says history will count for nothing when his side faces Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout semi-final on Sunday, despite Abafana Bes’Thende having never lost to them before.
Arrows will host Gallants for the second time in a week at King Zwelithini Stadium, after thrashing them 4-0 at the same venue last weekend in the Betway Premiership. The result extended Arrows’ unbeaten run in this fixture.
In 12 previous meetings between the two sides, Arrows have won eight and drawn four.
When reminded of the statistics showing Gallants have never beaten Arrows, Mngqithi was quick to dismiss their relevance.
“They were probably not coached by the same coach before,” Mngqithi said.
“I was also not the coach of Golden Arrows in some of those matches. The reality is that, like I said, history in football is not the most important thing.
“What matters most is how you prepare for the match you’re about to play, because history doesn’t step onto the pitch.
“Football is about what happens on that day — in those 90 minutes, or 120 if it goes to extra time, or even penalties if it comes to that.”
Mngqithi also highlighted that this is a different kind of encounter between the two teams.
“Golden Arrows have never played a semi-final match against Marumo Gallants before. Other matches may have been played, but this one is different — it’s a semi-final.
“The match temperament, the pressure of a knockout game, and the objectives each team has will determine the outcome, not what happened in the past.
“That’s why I have a lot of respect for this game — it’s my first time facing Gallants as Golden Arrows coach [in the semi final].”
Mngqithi, who was at Mamelodi Sundowns last season, faced Gallants in the same competition in the semi-final, winning 2-0 before losing to Magesi in the final. Along the way, Sundowns also beat Arrows 5-0 in the opening round.
“I played against them [Gallants] as a Sundowns coach and we beat them,” he recalled. “Now, as an Arrows coach, I’m facing them in the semi-final, and I don’t know what will happen — but I have a lot of respect for them.”
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