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Cape Town - Orlando Pirates have not been at their best this season, and their inconsistency is what makes them even more dangerous, Ajax Cape Town coach Roger De Sa said on Thursday.
The Urban Warriors take on Pirates in a Telkom Knockout quarterfinal match at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday night, with the Cape side seated four spots above Pirates on the league table.
"When I play the so-called bigger teams, I would rather play them when they are winning," De Sa said.
"When they come from a loss, they always seem to be a bit more alert, more motivated, more focused with the job at hand."
De Sa said focus throughout the game, which could potentially go into extra time and penalties, would be key.
"They're always a team that finishes quite strong but, having said that, it's going to be important that we play 90 minutes, 120 minutes, whatever it takes.
"You can't have lapses. Good teams will punish you in a short space of time. They can beat you in 30 seconds, so we've got to be sharp and at our best.
"One thing about those players is that they have a strong winning mentality. They are winners, so you have to be at your best to knock them off."
De Sa said being up against a club he coached 12 months ago would not be a major advantage.
"It's just Ajax versus Pirates, I don't think it has anything to do with me -- we've all moved on, I have good memories, good times.
"There are so many players to worry about, so we've got to prepare for whatever comes."
