Nasreddine Nabi notes narrowing gap between Sundowns, Chiefs

Sundowns won the first Betway Premiership game 2-1 after coming from behind at FNB Stadium, before they hammered Chiefs 4-0 in the Carling Knockout.

Their most recent meeting was a narrow 1-0 victory for The Brazilians, and Nabi feels the teams are almost equal on the pitch ahead of their Nedbank Cup semi-final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tomorrow.

"I think we've played four times against them, not three [Ed note: Sunday will the fourth meeting between them], but when we played them in the Carling Knockout, it was a fitness problem," said Nabi via his translator.

"We did not get enough time for recovery – we came back from Polokwane [two days] before that game, and if you analyse the two [league] games, we lost 2-1 in the first game at FNB Stadium and then in Pretoria we lost 1-0, but the level between the two teams were close.

"And in the game in Pretoria, I think we got three opportunities and they got two – they were lucky to score one of them, but we were unlucky we didn't score.

"Now it's game number [four] against them, and each team have [equal] chance to win this game, we know their weak and strong points of this team, and they also know it about us, so let's see after this game, we can discuss [the difference in level]."

The Tunisian tactician also feels they were hard done-by as match officials’ decisions went against them in the 2-1 defeat in Soweto, while joking that Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie’s mooted VAR introduction will sort this out.

"I think in the first game, even if you don't want to accept it, it was referee problem – we got two opportunities to score and we scored a second goal in the last minute for it to finish 2-2, but the referee didn't accept this goal," he added.

"Maybe if it was VAR – like Sundowns had a chance to qualify [for the Champions League semi-final] – for that, the honourable Minister said VAR is coming to South Africa, maybe after my reaction to this game, don't forget hey.

"So maybe if there was VAR, we would have had a chance to score and maybe it would have finished 2-2."

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