Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has urged his players not to get carried away and focus on the upcoming games ahead of their much-anticipated Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates next Saturday.
Amakhosi cross swords with the Buccaneers in the Nedbank Cup semi-final at the FNB Stadium.
During the semi-final draw that confirmed the Soweto derby fixture, Chiefs players, the technical team and management were visibly excited to be pitted against their fierce rivals.
Ahead of their DStv Premiership league encounter with relegation threatened Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Thursday afternoon, Zwane admitted that the excitement of playing against Pirates is something that is beyond his control, but he will do his best to manage the situation.
“It’s obviously a situation you can’t control [playing against Orlando Pirates],” Zwane told Kaizer Chiefs media.
“But it is our responsibility as the technical team to try and manage the players and make them aware of the important game right now.
“We know that one [the Soweto Derby) is more than important, but we must keep on from where we left off.
“We must win the games before we play Pirates, so the focus is on these three games now, and as soon as we are done with these three games, then we will focus our attention on Orlando Pirates.”
Zwane and his charges saw their dreams of finishing second on the log and qualifying for the Caf Champions League next season hang by a thread, when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sekhukhune United at the weekend.
Amakhosi will be looking to redeem themselves and go past a Chippa side that is fighting for their lives in the relegation scrap.
Kick-off time is at 3pm.
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