AmaZulu captain Makhehleni Makhaula is determined to create history and become the first captain for the club in the Premier Soccer League era to lift the trophy.
Usuthu will lock horns with Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday in what will be the winner-takes-all looking at R8 million prize money.
The last man to lift the trophy for Usuthu was Tim Nzoyi in 1992, who was the club captain then when Usuthu defeated Pirates’ old nemesis Kaizer Chiefs at the old FNB Stadium.
Goals by George Dearnaley, Simon Magagula, and Ephraim Mlwane were enough to down Amakhosi side 3-1.
That was the last time Usuthu won a major trophy and nothing in the PSL era, though this will be the club’s second cup final appearance after that.
“It is playing in my mind to become the first captain to lift the trophy for this club,” said Makhaula.
“I’ll be really happy and of course, I’ll be in the history books of AmaZulu. I hope many more cups will come under my leadership as the club captain.”
Makhaula has previously been in the side that has reached the Wafa Wafa Cup final before, with Highlands Park in the 2019/20 season, losing to SuperSport United.
Sadly, he suffered a bad injury against the same Pirates in the quarter-final at Orlando Stadium.
He did not appear after that as Owen da Gama’s boys were beaten in extra time at the same venue in Soweto.
He was also in the final of the Nedbank Cup in the 2017/18 season with Free State Stars, but he came on in the 86th minute against Maritzburg United, something that left Makhaula not pleased by the decision made by Luc Eymael at DHL Stadium.
To make matters worse, Makhaula was the vice-captain of the club to Paulus Masehe.
“It is a dream come true for me because it is my first final as a captain,” added Makhaula.
“It will be really nice to play this final because the last time I played the final I came on as a sub, so this MTN8 final means a lot to me and of course for the guys and everyone at the club.”
Just like Makhaula rallied his side ahead of the second leg semi-final against Kaizer Chiefs where they advanced to the final on away goal rule, he has called his boys to step up, saying there’s no time to hide as they have put themselves in this position.
“I’m always doing that in each and every game,” said Makhaula.
“I always tell them that we are warriors. We went to the Moses Mabhida Stadium (last weekend for King Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini’s coronation), so I always tell them ‘if we are going to war, let’s go to war and fight’. There’s nothing important to fight and attack as a team.”
