×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Baxter: ‘I would bet my money on Sundowns over Kashima Antlers at CWC’

SuperSport United coach Stuart Baxter‚ who coached in Japan‚ says if he were a betting man he would have a punt on Mamelodi Sundowns beating Kashima Antlers at the Fifa Club World Cup.

Baxter’s Kiwi right-back Michael Boxall said the same if Downs have to meet his old team‚ Auckland City‚ in Sunday’s Club World Cup (CWC) quarterfinal in Osaka.

Sundowns meet the winners of a playoff on Thursday (12.30pm SA time) between host team Antlers and Oceania champions City in Sunday’s quarterfinal.

Baxter‚ who has an intimate knowledge of Japanese football having coached Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Vissel Kobe in the J-League in the 1990s‚ and Kobe again in the J2 League in 2006‚ said he would favour Sundowns to beat Antlers.

“Antlers have fanatical support. They’ve got Brazilian roots‚ because Zico was the coach there for a long time. He still has some sort of honorary presidential role‚ ” Baxter said on Wednesday.

“When I coached in Japan Antlers had Bismarck‚ Leonardo‚ Mazinho – I think four of the 1990 Brazilian World Cup-winning team.

“So they have Brazilian roots and they want to play – which is good for Sundowns.

"They do play quick because the Japanese players are all decently mobile.

“But if you were asking me – and I’m not a betting man – but if I were going to put some money on‚ I’d have a little bet on Sundowns.

“Because I think Sundowns are organised enough‚ and I don’t think they’d be upset if it was a bit of a Brazilian-style game. I think they’ll enjoy that more than if it was a very structured game‚ where Antlers are hitting balls behind their back four and penetrating them.

“This is going to be a game that’s going to be a bit South African. I think Sundowns in this one have got a real chance.”

Brazilian 1980s great Zico played for Antlers in the early 1990s and coached them in the team’s formative years in the 1990s‚ soon after the establishment of the J-League in 1993.

They qualified for this CWC as hosts by winning the J-League for the eighth time on Saturday.

Boxall‚ who played for Auckland City in the mid-2000s‚ admitted the New Zealand club will struggle to beat Antlers‚ let alone Sundowns‚ but warned of the Kiwi underdogs’ fighting spirit.

“Obviously Sundowns in the last 16 months have been the best team in South Africa and the best team in Africa‚” Boxall said.

“They’ve got such quality players all over the park. Auckland City are a semi-professional‚ almost amateur‚ team.

“They’re still very organised. They came third in the CWC in 2014‚ so they’ve got the ability to surprise people.

“So hopefully they can surprise Sundowns. But I think Sundowns will be too strong.

“They shouldn’t beat Antlers on Thursday‚ but I love an underdog and City have shown they can rise to the occasion.”

Boxall and Baxter were speaking while SuperSport prepare to meet Cape Town City in Saturday’s Telkom Knockout final at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. - TMG Digital