Cape Town City players Craig Martin and Terrence Mashego are feeling confident ahead of their DStv Premiership fixture against AmaZulu on Saturday, as they look to secure CAF Champions League football.
Second-placed City are on a 12-match unbeaten run in the league, and are hoping to finish the season in a record high second-position, which would also see them qualify for CAF Champions League football for the first time.
Speaking to a few journalists this week at training, Mashego said they want to collect maximum points against AmaZulu, as they would love to finish second, the position ironically Usuthu finished in last season.
“I think it’s a very important game considering that in the first half of the season, we lost again against AmaZulu,” Mashego said
“And now, like because we want to go to CAF, so we need to make sure that we collect maximum points. So it’s an important game to us.”
Mashego has been in great form recently, but he says he doesn’t expect any additional focus on him from AmaZulu, and if anything Truter’s style may play into his hands.
“No, I don’t think I’ll be under pressure,” Mashego added.
“Because I know Coach Brandon from Swallows, the way they play like they always bring their full-backs inside.
“So I think they’ll open a lot of space, they’ll give me a lot of space on the side. So I’ll be able to use that space on the side. So I don’t think there’ll be any pressure.”
When City lost in the first round, Benni McCarthy was coach of Usuthu, but now Brandon Truter is in charge, and Martin says they’re very different coaches.
“For me it’s totally different because they’re two totally different coaches,” Martin said.
“But I think for me, they will play the same style and they will come all out blazing because they also want to end in the top eight.”
Eric Tinkler had spoken of players taking responsibility, and Martin expanded on this.
“The conversation that we have among the players we keeping our confidence high, we keeping our momentum like it is, and like we said we don’t break our home ground record,” he added.
“Like we want to maximum points, we can get over 50 and we can end in the season second for the first time.”
Tinkler – We’ve Come To The Business End
