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Surprise Moriri, Sundra Govinder take over reins for MDC sides

Surprise Moriri will take control of the Mamelodi Sundowns reserves during the MultiChoice Diski Challenge match against Orlando Pirates.
Surprise Moriri will take control of the Mamelodi Sundowns reserves during the MultiChoice Diski Challenge match against Orlando Pirates.
Image: Muzi Ntombela / BackpagePix

The Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) sides will have to soldier on without their head coaches who are on international duty this weekend, with Sundra Govinder and Surprise Moriri the stand-in mentors.

Chiefs face SuperSport tomorrow at Lucas Moripe Stadium without their mentor Arthur Zwane, who is with Bafana Bafana as Molefi Ntseki's second-in-command for Sunday's Nelson Mandela Challenge friendly against Mali at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Meanwhile, Notoane's juggling act means former club striker and his deputy Moriri will steer the ship when the Brazilians reserves take on a rejuvenated Orlando Pirates side on Sunday, also at Lucas Moripe Stadium.

Notoane doubles up as SA Under-23s coach and he's with the side in Egypt for a friendly with the North Africans on Sunday. The match is aimed at preparing for the upcoming U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

It's the first time Govinder, who is Amakhosi's head of youth development, takes charge of the MDC side.

However, the club's spokesperson, Vina Maphosa, sounded optimistic that he'll produce the goods.

"He [Govinder] is a top coach. I do not think he'll struggle. With his knowledge of this team, I am positive that we will win against SuperSport," Maphosa told Sowetan yesterday.

In the previous Fifa break, the senior side's assistant coach, Shaun Bartlett, stood in for Zwane and managed a convincing 7-1 thumping of champions Bloemfontein Celtic last month.

Moriri is no stranger to the head-coaching role in the Diski league having filled in for Notoane in a number of matches before, when he was busy with the Afcon qualifiers.

MDC fixtures:

Tomorrow: Chippa United v Arrows, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (10am); PLK City v Maritzburg, Peter Mokaba Stadium (10am); Wits v Baroka, Bidvest Stadium; Highlands Park v Leopards, Lucas Moripe Stadium (12pm); Chiefs v SuperSport, Lucas Moripe Stadium (3pm).

Sunday: AmaZulu v Stellenbosch, Princess Magogo Stadium (10am); Bloemfontein Celtic v CPT City, Lucas Moripe Stadium (12pm); Orlando Pirates v Sundowns, Lucas Moripe Stadium (3pm).

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