Kaizer Chiefs striker Ashley du Preez will be lining up against his former club Stellenbosch FC in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup with the aim of improving his goal tally.
Du Preez established himself as a feared and speedy striker in the colours of Stellies, and that is where Amakhosi noticed his talent and immediately captured his signature in 2022.
On Saturday, Du Preez will have a point to prove against his erstwhile teammates, and he is also excited about the much-anticipated encounter.
Long cup drought
The Glamour Boys are going through a cup drought, and they are working very hard to win a trophy and end the club’s longest run without winning an official cup tournament.
The game will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. Kickoff is at 6pm.
Du Preez, who scored Amakhosi’s winning goal against Magesi FC on Tuesday night, is happy with his recent performance.
The 27-year-old is on three goals in the Betway Premiership so far.
“Getting onto the field after coming back from injury and scoring the winning goal is exceptional. I am very happy,” he was quoted on the Amakhosi website.
“Injuries are part of the game, but it’s a question of how you bounce back, and I am just delighted and relieved to be fit again.
“It’s always nice to play against a former team. There’s familiarity with their structures and the way they play.
“We have to get a positive result on the day, so we are going out to win and get through to the semifinals.”
Hungry for silverware
Du Preez also spoke about how hungry Amakhosi are to win a trophy for the club and their die-hard supporters.
He said: “We take one step at a time. Obviously, we haven’t won a trophy for some time, and our aim is to go all the way to the final and win [the trophy]. For now, though, our focus is 100% on beating Stellenbosch.
“This is an important game in the context of our season. Our preparation has been good, and we are mindful that there’s no second chance in knockout competition.”
“It will really benefit us to see a big crowd of Chiefs fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.”
He continued: “They have been giving us great support all season, even through difficult times, and we will need them on Saturday.
“As players and management, we want to win, but just as important, we are going out there to give our amazing supporters something to celebrate.”
