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Birds must fight 'complacency'

Johannesburg - Moroka Swallows will need to guard against complacency, believes coach Zeca Marques, in their crunch Premiership clash against Orlando Pirates on Saturday.

The mood is positive in the Birds camp after they progressed to the MTN8 final last weekend with a 3-2 second leg semi-final victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in Dobsonville.

"Mamelodi Sundowns is in the past now," Marques said.

"I'm happy with how the players have been performing, but the focus is on the league now and the Soweto Derby at Orlando Stadium.

"We going into the game with an edge, and we have talked about not being complacent."

Pirates are coming off a 3-0 MTN8 defeat by SuperSport United in their return leg semi-final, and the Buccaneers will be out to regain their dented pride against their Soweto neighbours.

While they will miss suspended striker Benni McCarthy upfront, Marques believed the Buccaneers had formidable replacements who could find the back of the net.

"They very seldom lose back-to-back games and we know they will come at us," Marques said.

"Sure, they will miss Benni, but they have good players that can still do the job for them, like (recent signing and former Swallows player) Collins Mbesuma."

Marques, meanwhile, said he would be pleased if forwards Siyabonga Nomvethe and the resurgent Lerato Chabangu were included in the national setup.

With Marques' predecessor, Gordon Igesund, now in charge of Bafana Bafana, there is a strong chance that the duo could be included in the squad to be named on Thursday.

Bafana play friendly internationals against Brazil in Sao Paolo next week and Mozambique in Nelspruit four days later.

The veteran Nomvethe is still proving to be a critical player for the Birds on offense, while Chabangu has struck a rich vein of form.

"From mine and the club's perspective, it would be great to see the players in the national setup," Marques said.

"I'd be delighted if they made the squad. It would be reward for the hard work that they have put in heading into the season."

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