Royal AM coach John Maduka has questioned whether it is an advantage or added pressure that his club has not lost to Amakhosi at Chatsworth Stadium so far.
Royal AM, since buying the Premier Soccer League status of Bloemfontein Celtic last season, have never lost to Chiefs in the two matches at their home venue in Durban.
Maduka’s men will hope to continue their run when they host Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals at Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday (18:00).
Chiefs have lost both league matches at Chatsworth Stadium, with Royal AM winning both games 1-0, including earlier this season in what was the first match of the 2022/23 campaign for both clubs when Dan Malesela, Khabo Zondo and Abram Nteo were co-coaches of Thwihli Thwahla.
Maduka had left Royal AM to Maritzburg United at the end of last season, having led the club to the semi-final of the Ke Yona Cup, losing to eventual winners Mamelodi Sundowns, and also a top three finish to qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.
But he returned to the side in February and is still unbeaten at home since, continuing this run after coming from behind to beat Stellenbosch FC 3-1 last weekend.
But the former Bloemfontein Celtic coach insisted that with their good home record also comes pressure and that they will have to sweat for the win over Amakhosi.
“It is an advantage or pressure?” Maduka laughed when asked about his side’s unbeaten home run against Chiefs.
“This is where this makes the game very difficult. If you look at it, not only Kaizer Chiefs, all the teams that play against Royal AM, you find that this week they are playing totally different games.
“But when they come playing against us, it’s war. In other words, everyone wants to beat us, which we must be ready for.”
Maduka has confirmed that he will be without goalie Hugo Nyame, who in fact will not play again for the club this season.
The Cameroon international picked up an injury against Sekhukhune United early last month and has missed the last four matches in all competitions, with Xolani Ngcobo preferred in goals.
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“He [Nyame] is walking now, but I don’t think we will have him this season,” said Maduka.
“But if it happens that he will be back before the season ends, it’s good for us. But it’s unfortunate that he’s not there and there is nothing we can do.
“The keepers that are there, they have to continue working hard and help the results that we need.”
