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NewsDay

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Nengomasha set to break Mooki’s record

Sport
Tinashe Nengomasha will reach a personal milestone of 11 cup finals for Kaizer Chiefs when he takes to the field today in the MTN8 Final against Orlando Pirates. Since making his debut in 2002, Nengomasha has played in 10 cup finals, winning eight of them. As he heads into the 2011 MTN8 Final the Zimbabwean […]

Tinashe Nengomasha will reach a personal milestone of 11 cup finals for Kaizer Chiefs when he takes to the field today in the MTN8 Final against Orlando Pirates.

Since making his debut in 2002, Nengomasha has played in 10 cup finals, winning eight of them.

As he heads into the 2011 MTN8 Final the Zimbabwean strongman will overtake the legendary Thabo Mooki, and will have featured in the most cup finals for the club in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) era.

Although Mooki featured in 12 cup finals, two of them were pre-PSL.

“It seems like just the other day I joined Chiefs and came to the country from Zimbabwe,” Nengomasha told the club website.

“Never once did I imagine that it would be possible for me to catch up to a record and perhaps better one set by a legendary player like Thabo Mooki.

“I am truly grateful that in all the time that I have been with the club, I have managed to represent them in these championship games and helped them win titles, I hope that Saturday night (tonight) will be a night to remember.

“Every cup final is memorable and of the 10 previous finals that I have played in, my team has managed to win eight. An 80% win rate is good in the finals, and I hope that the Almighty gives me the strength to help the team once more, as winning is always good and we would like to bring the trophy home,” Nengomasha said.

While his medals cabinet is already brimming, with two league titles during his time at Chiefs, and several unofficial cups such as the Vodacom Challenge, the desire to add more is still there for the 29-year-old.

“I do feel that being mentally prepared for a cup final is essential and it can ultimately lead to your team lifting the prize. You want a situation where you find that in the rounds leading to the final you were excellent, but you cannot just also assume that you will carry on getting the same results.

“You need to be ready mentally and physically as well as display the same hunger that you did in reaching the final if you want to lift the trophy.”—KickOff