Posted on July 13, 2012 06:00
AmaZulu defender Tamsanqa Teyise says they cannot afford to be overcome by fear when they face Manchester United in the MTN Football Invitational next Wednesday.
The Red Devils have promised to bring a strong squad including the likes of Michael Carrick, Ji Sung-Park, Dimitar Berbatov and new signing Shinji Kagawa, but Teyise believes confidence will be key for his side.
“At the moment we’re busy with our pre-season training but we’re hoping to continue from where we left off last season,” said Teyise.
“Playing against a big club like Manchester United is a rare opportunity and there are many great players who never had this chance, so I feel very privileged.
“I’m very excited but at the same time I’m focused on doing the job on the field because we will not just be representing AmaZulu but the rest of South Africa.”
Teyise also believes that the element of surprise could work in their favour as United do not know what to expect from Roger Palmgren’s side.
“They don’t know much about us and they may just underestimate us, which could create an opportunity to pull off a few surprises,” said Teyise.
“We have to respect United because they have some of the best players in the world but it’s important for us not to fear them. We have to relax, stick to the basics and enjoy the game.”
United will take on AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on July 18 before facing Ajax Cape Town at the Cape Town Stadium three days later. Kick-off for the match in Durban is at 8pm.