Thembu Royals pleased with exposure

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Tembu Royals celebrate after scoring a goal against AmaZulu in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup.

Durban – Little-known coach Lwandile Magula was delighted to have put the name of Tembu Royals on the South African football map on Wednesday night after their Nedbank Cup last 32 upset against AmaZulu in Durban.

The third-tier minnows stunned Usuthu 2-1 in Umlazi thanks to goals from Sechaba Mofekeng and Zukisa Ginya, ensuring their names would be in the hat for the last 16 draw on Thursday.

“I’m very happy for the players, the exposure they got along with the brand name of Tembu Royals, and for the area we come from, Mthatha,” Magula said after the win.

“We came prepared for the game and we applied the tactics we had practiced. Prior to the game, we watched AmaZulu several times and we knew their strengths and weaknesses.

“We wanted to defend as a unit, neutralise them and catch them on the counter and it all fell into place.”

The hosts were dominated for the entire first half, failing to produce a single shot on target, and fell behind to a cracking long-range opening goal after 22 minutes by Mofekeng.

Ginya’s header two minutes after the break doubled the advantage, before Joseph Molangoane pulled one back for Usuthu on the hour mark.

But AmaZulu failed to find the equaliser and were left shocked, just like fellow Premiership clubs Orlando Pirates and Chippa United had been by lower division opposition at the weekend.

“We were determined to win from the outset and we knew we could do it,” Magula said.

“We’re just very happy to be playing in such a prestigious competition like the Nedbank Cup. It’s a motivation in itself.

“The players watch it and I also encourage them to watch the FA Cup (in England) where amazing things happen.

“I keep telling them that anything is possible if you work hard and you stay focussed on your goals.”

For AmaZulu, the result compounded matters in what is turning out to be a wretched season.

Coach Craig Rosslee, whose side are second from bottom in the Absa Premiership, had made 10 changes to his regular team, opting to give several fringe players a chance, but they failed hopelessly and the coach was predictably livid afterwards.

“I am very disappointed because all the talks and all the meetings with the players, warning them that we have to go out there from the first whistle, making sure we’re on top of our game. All those things came to nothing,” Rosslee said.

“It was a waste of time… I mean, what’s the point of talking if you can’t follow? That’s a big problem for me with South African footballers Ätheir failure to heed the mental fitness.

“We had a bad attitude and got what we deserved.”

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Zimbabwean Abbas Amidu struck four times as another relegation-threatened Premiership side, Black Leopards, edged amateur outfit Cape Town All Stars 5-4 in extra time in Polokwane.

In the last game of the opening round, First Division side African Warriors thumped amateur team Jacksa Spears 3-0 in Phuthaditjhaba. – Sapa