Kaizer Chiefs are itching to end their longest cup drought when the face off with Maritzburg United in a Nedbank Cup fixture on Friday night.
Chiefs last won a trophy in 2015 when they were crowned league champions under the leadership of then coach Stuart Baxter.
Amakhosi used to win almost all the trophies on offer back in the day, and built a reputation as South Africa’s “cup specialists”. The Glamour Boys have since relinquished that tag and it is up to the current crop of players and coach Arthur Zwane to bring back the glory days.
In their last match, Chiefs were tested by TS Galaxy in a DStv encounter in Mbombela on Sunday, and they are aware that they are facing a very tricky Maritzburg side on Friday.
Not a lot of teams come back alive from the Friday-night razzmatazz at the Harry Gwala Stadium, and if Chiefs are not careful, they might bite the dust as well.
“This one is a cup game. It’s not going to be easy. The approach will be totally different,” Zwane said.
“We are playing a team that has been doing very well and we are looking forward to the game. Whether it’s a cup or league [game], we always want to win. I would love to go all the way to the final and win it, because that is very important for us as a club.
“The players know what is at stake. We are going there with one thing in mind, to dig deep and make sure we go through. Nothing else.”
Chiefs’ lengthy casualty list could open the door for a number of so-called fringe players to come into the reckoning for the Maritzburg trip and provide ingredients for a winning formula.
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