KwaZulu-Natal will take centre stage this weekend with three mouthwatering ties in the second round of the Nedbank Cup.
Two will be at the uMhlathuze Sports Stadium in Richards Bay as home side Richards Bay FC host provincial rivals AmaZulu on Friday (kick-off 7pm) and second-tier Milford FC welcome third-tier side Mkhambathi FC on Sunday 3pm).
Between those matches, Lamontville Golden Arrows will host Stellenbosch at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi on Saturday (6pm).
No team from the province has ever lifted the trophy. AmaZulu have reached six finals in the competition, the last in 2010, and lost every one, while African Wanderers lost two finals and Manning Rangers one.
Golden Arrows are seeking their first-ever final in the Nedbank Cup, having reached the last four in 2017 and 2019, and have reached the Last 16 for just the second time in seven seasons.
Coach Manqoba Mngqithi says it is heartening to see so many KZN teams in the second round.
“I think it’s everyone’s wish for the province to do well,” he said. “I even hoped that we didn’t have any provincial derbies in this competition until the latter stages because I thought that would maximise the chances of a KZN team achieving the ultimate (lifting the trophy).
“But let’s wait and see. It’s very good to see all of these teams at this stage of the competition, it’s something we’ve always wanted.”
Mngqithi says teams from the province are now more focused on building their own capacity to compete for trophies, rather than selling their best talent on.
“In the past our teams were more worried about getting players everywhere else,” he said. “But now we’re beginning to see the potential of KZN and how rich it is and we’re trying to develop them into better players.”
Golden Arrows come up against a Stellenbosch side that have a potent attack and, with back-to-back clean sheets, Mngqithi hopes that better defensive trend continues after the teams played to a 4-3 thriller in the league earlier this campaign.
“We’ve always defended well,” Mngqithi said. “I think we were just unlucky because I can pull up ten matches where just a single error from someone and we would suddenly concede.
“Even in the last two games, we could’ve conceded because there were moments where we commit silly mistakes and end up putting the team under pressure.”
AmaZulu go to Richards Bay in good form, with four wins in their last five games in all competitions, and coach Arthur Zwane is pleased with the fight he has seen from Usuthu.
“We do have character of late. We have been showing good signs, though we are a work in progress,” Zwane said.
“We are looking to improve in each and every game. So, hopefully, we’ll take the upcoming game and treat it with the same respect and hopefully get to the next round. But it won’t be easy, just like the last game in Polokwane (a 2-1 extra-time victory over Polokwane City in the Nedbank Cup Last 32).”
Zwane knows his opponents are in good form themselves and says it is not mind games from his side to urge his players to be extra cautious of their hosts.
“I am not playing games when I am saying Richards Bay has been doing very well,” Zwane said. “If you look at where they are, and how they’ve been performing lately, you’ll see what I am talking about.
“If you watched the game, tactically as I said earlier, in the first half against Chippa United, they could have easily scored three goals in 10 minutes. The game before that, they scored three goals.”
Richards Bay co-coach Papi Zothwane paid the same compliment to AmaZulu and is expecting a tough encounter.
“Based on AmaZulu’s recent performance, it gives us stress, and we have to give them respect for what they have been doing,” he said. “But we are playing at home and want to go to the next round.
“It is going to be difficult for us, but we have abilities. We’ve got players that have been doing well for the team. Yes, they make mistakes here and there; they are human beings, but we grow from that, and they know what is at stake and that we need to win the match.”
Richards Bay have been strong at home this campaign and beat Usuthu 2-0 in the league when the teams met in November.
“We’ve been doing well at home. But there is a lot to improve in the team because we are conceding a lot of goals, and we need to pay attention to that.
“Players know that they are not only playing for themselves but for the fans, for the people. That pushes them to give extra effort because they know fans are supporting them.”