Parker confident Chiefs can rely on knockout pedigree

Mamelodi Sundowns have scored an impressive 11 goals leading up to the Telkom Knockout final and are in better form right now, but Bernard Parker says Kaizer Chiefs are favourites to lift the trophy because they are cup specialists.

Parker says Amakhosi have put the MTN8 defeat to Ajax Cape Town in September behind them and they are ready to upset a Sundowns team currently on a run of 10 matches without a defeat.

"There is much more pressure [after losing the MTN8 final]. We cannot lose for the second time in a final in the space of three months," Parker said yesterday.

"We go crazy for cups at Chiefs. Training has been crazy because everyone wants to play. Yes, we are favourites because we are a cup specialist team. We cannot let it slip through our hands. We have to go out there with the right attitude and clear minds."

Amakhosi, who beat Sundowns on penalties in the same competition in 2007, are looking for an early goal to unsettle their opponents. "If we get an early goal, they will be under pressure to attack and they will open up. We just have to focus and win our duals as individuals. We want to do it for Steve [Komphela] and it will be massive for him to win his first cup."

A man who will have to keep a close eye on Parker is Sundowns' central defender Thabo Nthethe, who returns to Durban three years after winning the competition with Bloemfontein Celtic. Nthethe captained Celtic to success over Sundowns and would now love to play a huge role in guiding the Brazilians to their first title win in this competition since 1999.

"It was nice to beat a big team like Sundowns in the final when I was still at Celtic. "Now I am here and I am looking forward to winning it again. We have the quality to win this game." Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is relying on Nthethe and his central defensive partner Wayne Arendse to stop Amakhosi's attackers tomorrow.