Baroka out to prove last season's TKO triumph was no fluke

Cape Town - Baroka FC head coach Wedson Nyirenda says they are determined to show everyone that last season's Telkom Knockout success was no fluke.

Bakgakga made history last season when they became the first team from the Limpopo province to win a major trophy in South Africa's top-flight as they lifted the Telkom Knockout after beating Orlando Pirates in the final.

Baroka start the defence of the title with a clash against SuperSport United, who recently won the MTN8 trophy, on Saturday.

While admitting that Matsatsantsa will be a tough challenge, Nyirenda said their success in the last campaign will hold them in good stead this time around.

The Baroka mentor said, in quotes published by the Sowetan: "The boys know what it means to win a major cup trophy‚ they know what comes with it and they know what it takes on the field too.

"They know what they need to do in these knockout situations."

Nyirenda added: "It looks tough because we are playing a team that is well organised, highly structured, with very experienced players and is much improved from last season.

"(SuperSport coach) Kaitano (Tembo) has the side looking very good.

"Their success in the MTN8 shows clearly that they are a team going in the right direction and improving with each game.

"They have already had the better of us in our first league encounter here at home they beat us. But last season we got four points off them.

"We are also looking good, the structure is better and we tend to rise to occasions like this.

"The boys want to show everybody that what happened last year was no fluke."

- TeamTalk Media