Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane says it will be suicidal to set their sight on winning the Nedbank Cup this early, a trophy that represents the last chance saloon for them to salvage something this season and also end the barren years of having not won a major trophy.
Zwane said, in allaying the expectations down, they will take one game at the time and see where that takes them.
That is due to the DStv Premiership title yet again eluding them as Mamelodi Sundowns just have once again placed one hand in the trophy, lying first in the table and 27 points ahead of fifth placed Chiefs.
Chiefs booked their spot in the Nedbank Cup last 16 after overcoming a stubborn Maritzburg United 2-0 at the packed to the rafters at Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday.
Sundowns also booked their spot in the Ke Yona Cup last 16, the competition they will aim to defend this season after winning it as part of their treble last term.
“We take one game at the time,” said Zwane after the game in Pietermaritzburg.
“I have always been saying this, we don’t want to put ourselves under pressure. Yes, Kaizer Chiefs is a big team, every game that you play, you play for results.
“But at the end of the day, we don’t have to lose ourselves because of the pressure that comes with being part of Kaizer Chiefs, especially the players.
“You must have seen the chances we created, we needed a little bit of composure inside the box and we made hasty decisions because of the pressures because we wanted to do things very, very quick.
“Unfortunately we ended up missing those opportunities, but the good thing we had numbers inside the box – it could have been better. But we will keep on working hard.
“So I’m not really worried about us being under pressure. What is key right now is to take one game at the time and make sure that the guys are settling because we know what is stack.”
Chiefs were frustrated by the Maritzburg United side, who in the 38th minute saw Travis Graham sent off for rugby tackle to Mdu Shabalala. Despite that, Maritzburg absorbed the pressure but Chiefs finally found the breakthrough in extra time through goals by Christian Saile and Ashley du Preez to get them over the line.
– Advertisement –
This is the last domestic cup Chiefs reached the final of, but they lost to TS Galaxy in the 2018/19 season. They have not won Ke Yona Cup since 2013 when they beat SuperSport United in the final in Durban.
