Cape Town - Maritzburg United are savouring the prospects of dumping Kaizer Chiefs out of the Nedbank Cup tonight when they clash at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg (kick-off 7.30pm)
Chiefs have had a rough ride this season and the Nedbank
Cup represents their last hope of salvaging silverware for the first time in six years. But Maritzburg coach Fadlu Davids was warned: “We are playing to win.”
The Maritzburg and Chiefs showdown is one of three all-DStv Premiership ties in the Nedbank
Cup last-32 round, and these games all hold out the prospect of being 'cupsets' this weekend. The other two all-Premiership ties are Stellenbosch FC v Swallows FC and Cape Town City v Royal AM.
Davids is banking on homeground advantage and feels Chiefs' desperation may derail their hopes of victory.
“We had a good record when playing on Friday nights the last time I was here,” said Davids.
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“We created a sort of invincibility when playing on Friday nights in Harry Gwala, but we have lost that record in recent years. We have to earn that fortress tag once again.”
The 'sold out' signs went up yesterday at the Harry Gwala
Stadium and there is a great sense of anticipation in Pietermaritzburg.
“Friday night at Harry Gwala is normally a special occasion on its own and Kaizer Chiefs coming to the city brings excitement.
“It’s definitely a match both teams want to win. Kaizer Chiefs are playing for silverware, and this is probably the competition they would focus on, and we are playing to win.”
Chiefs will not be inspired by peeping into the Nedbank Cup annals.
They have had back-to-back first-round exits ( at the hands of First Divisioners Richards Bay in 2021 and TS Galaxy last year) and will be looking to avoid the dreaded Nedbank Cup hat-trick as they strive for a first trophy since 2015, when they won the Nedbank Cup.
Maritzburg were Nedbank Cup runners-up in 2018 but that was the exception rather than the rule as it was the only time they made it past the second round since making the semi-finals in 2014.
The club are still seeking their first trophy, and with Davids back at the helm for another spell, will feel this is a big chance.
Chiefs won their last encounter 3-0 at home earlier this season, but in the last nine meetings overall, they only lead the head-to-head 4-3, with two draws.
That suggests this could be a close tie and the wily Davids will certainly have a plan for them.
“We are approaching it like we approach any other game; we approach it to win like any other game. I don’t think we go into any match to play for a draw because the draw does not help you in the situation we are in,” said Davids.
“As I said earlier, it is a game to try to get the performance level in a consistent way throughout 90 minutes and that is how we approach the game. We approach the game to win but also approach the game to improve the team.”
In the another match today, Cape Town Spurs will host Baroka FC at the Athlone Stadium (kick-off 3pm).
Spurs are improving under the experienced coaching duo of Shaun Bartlett and Nasief Morris and will provide a big test for three-time Nedbank Cup semi-finalists Baroka FC.
It was not so long ago this was a top-flight fixture but both clubs now find themselves in the MFC and bidding for promotion back to the big time.
They have yet to meet in the league this season as their January 7 encounter was postponed, but this is a repeat of the 2021 Nedbank Cup last-32 game where Spurs came out on top.
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