Bucks Mthombeni has already orchestrated the upset of the Nedbank Cup
campaign. Now his Casric Stars side stand just 90 minutes from a semifinal
berth—but their coach is taking nothing for granted.
The Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit sent shockwaves through South
African football when they dumped Orlando Pirates out of the competition in
the round of 16, a result that announced their giant-killing intentions in
emphatic fashion. On Saturday, they face AmaZulu FC at the Moses Mabhida
Stadium, and Mthombeni’s message is one of measured respect rather than wild
optimism.
“It’s going to be more than tough, but the Nedbank Cup is a cup of
everyone,” the Casric tactician observed.
His warning to those who might view Usuthu as a more favourable opponent
than the Buccaneers was pointed: “You can’t undermine any team, and we saw
what happened in 2019 when the cup was won by a club from then NFD (TS
Galaxy). There are no small teams.”
That 2019 final, in which a first-division TS Galaxy stunned Kaizer Chiefs
at Moses Mabhida, serves as the template for every lower-league side
dreaming of glory. Interestingly, Saturday’s clash takes place at the very
same Durban venue where that fairy tale was written.
Mthombeni’s confidence stems partly from his side’s resilience on their
travels. “The good thing is that, when we play away, we make sure that we
get something out of every game. The boys don’t even need motivation.”
Yet there is no underestimation of the task ahead. The Casric coach was
effusive in his praise for AmaZulu and their technical team, acknowledging
the challenge posed by Arthur Zwane’s side.
“As we know, Arthur is a good coach. I think they play good football, and I
think they defend very well. If you can look at their last three games, they
only conceded two goals in the second half. I think they defend very well
and they can attack.”
The one chink in Usuthu’s armour, Mthombeni suggested, lies in front of
goal. “It’s just that they are not scoring goals. But I think even to play
them, it’s very difficult to play them in Durban, because they use their
full backs and they’re very good.”
Kick-off at Moses Mabhida is scheduled for 15h30, with Casric carrying the
hopes of neutrals who dream of another Nedbank Cup miracle. But Mthombeni
knows that in this competition, reputation counts for nothing—and his side
have already proven they fear no opponent.
