City out to keep CAF CL dream live

Cape Town City will be looking to continue their good form in the DStv Premiership when they welcome AmaZulu FC at the DHL Stadium on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 3pm CAT.

The Citizens boast of the longest unbeaten run in the league at the moment having extended it to 12 matches when they secured a 2-0 win over TS Galaxy at home on May 7.

City are placed second on the DStv Premiership standings with leaders Mamelodi Sundowns having already won the championship. City are three points ahead of third-placed Royal AM who have a game in hand.

A win over AmaZulu will boost the Mother City side's hopes of finishing second and qualifying for the Caf Champions League for the first time in the club's history.

Eric Tinkler, the City head coach, is wary of AmaZulu's talented players and warned his charges that they will have to be at their best when they face the Durban-based side.

"We have confidence in our own ability, but we know it’s going to be a tough game because AmaZulu are a good team with a lot of talented players," Tinkler said.

"And again, we are going to have to be at our best, because doesn’t matter who you played last week. We played TS Galaxy and they are bottom of the log and you saw how difficult the game was.

"So you are expecting an even harder challenge against AmaZulu.”

Meanwhile, AmaZulu stretched their unbeaten run in the league to five matches in the DStv Premiership when they drew 0-0 with Sekhukhune United at home on May 7.

Usuthu find themselves on the seventh spot in the league standings - three points behind fourth-placed Kaizer Chiefs as the KwaZulu-Natal giants look to secure a top-four finish this term.

Tapelo Xoki, the AmaZulu defender, feels that the pressure is on City and that Usuthu will need a positive mindset in order to try, and get a positive result in the Mother City.

"It's a huge one. They are at an advantage, so the pressure is on them. We are trying to catch up with the rest of the group," Xoki said.

"For us to be where we want to be we have to beat teams who are in and around us. We have to go there with a positive mindset to try and get maximum points.

"It's not going to be easy, they are a team on form. They are scoring a lot of goals and they don't concede much as well."

Cape Town City: PLAYERS TO WATCH

Thamsanqa Mkhize: The City captain remains the team's most creative player in the league this term having provided his fourth assist against Galaxy. Mkhize will be eager to ensure that the Citizens avenge their 2-0 loss to AmaZulu first-round league clash last November.

Mduduzi Mdantsane:The goalscoring attacking midfielder has now scored nine goals in the league in back to back seasons after hitting the back of the net against Galaxy and he will be determined to reach double figures in the top flight for the first in his career this weekend.

AmaZulu: PLAYERS TO WATCH

Abbubaker Mobara:The experienced defender, who joined AmaZulu from Cape Town City in January this year, has been in fine form lately with Usuthu having kept five consecutive clean sheets. Mobara will be keen to frustrate his former teammates by producing a solid defensive display.

Luvuyo Memela:With strikers Augustine Mulenga, Lehlohonolo Majoro and Bongankosi Ntuli having sustained season-ending injuries, Memela was deployed as a striker against Sekhukhune and he has what it takes to inspire Usuthu to a victory in Cape Town.