On the hunt for silverware

Pitso Mosimane hopes his Mamelodi Sundowns team will not be the fall guy on Saturday when they clash with AmaZulu in the quarter finals of the Telkom Knockout.

Sundowns, being one of the seeded teams in this draw, will host AmaZulu at Loftus Versveld Stadium in Pretoria. Coach Mosimane said he was ready to proceed to the semi-finals of the competition at the expense of Usuthu, as AmaZulu are affectionately known to their faithfuls.

“It’s going to be a tough encounter as cup games are different from the league. Cup games are a once-off and if you are bumped you are out, unlike the league where you get to have a second chance.

“You will remember that Tuks [University of Pretoria] stretched us to the limit and I hope the same does not happen in this game. I am ready to proceed to the semi-finals although I have the greatest respect for AmaZulu and their new coach [Wilfred] Mugeyi,” Mosimane said.

For his side, Mugeyi said they too were ready for the clash. [Telkom Knockout] … it’s a competition we would like to go all the way although we will be facing a team [in Sundowns] that has quality players who can score from any angle …but we are going there [Loftus Stadium] to fight and a fight is what Sundowns will get.”

Following the firing of coach Craig Rosslee, Mugeyi said he was given a clear mandate when he took over as coach, and that was to take AmaZulu away from the danger zone of relegation. If the team managed to go all the way and win the Telkom Knockout, he said it will be the cherry on the top.

Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt, like his counterpart Gordon Ingesund at SuperSport United, is on the hunt for silverware. “We hope to get the better of United this time after they beat us in a midweek league game. It is water under the bridge and we have prepared well for this game.”

On the other hand, Ingesund is riding the crest of a wave, with four wins under his belt since he took over the reigns at United and hopes to continue the winning streak. Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs and Platinum Stars will be meeting for the fifth time this season in the quarter finals of the Telkom Knockout. Chiefs has won all those encounters and Stars coach Allan Freese hopes they will not be five times lucky.

On the other hand, Orlando Pirates hope to get the better of Cape side Ajax Cape Town, who are coached by former Pirates coach Roger De Sa, when the two sides clash in the quarter finals of the same cup on Saturday at the Orlando Stadium.