Kaizer Chiefs seem to be enjoying trips to Eastern Cape this season and will look to continue with that momentum when they face The Magic FC in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth today at 3pm.
Magic campaign in the ABC Motsepe League in the Western Cape but they have been forced to play their game away from home due to the lack of venues in Cape Town this weekend. The last time Chiefs were in Eastern Cape they beat Tornado FC at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane in East London.
Amakhosi needed extra time to get the better of the ABC Motsepe League outfit in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup.
Chiefs also thumped Zimamoto of Zanzibar 4-0 in the preliminary stage of the Caf Confederation Cup in Port Elizabeth.
Amakhosi will look to keep their unbeaten streak in Eastern Cape intact today.
Bruce Bvuma will start in goals for Chiefs, confirmed coach Ernst Middendorp. The new signing from Chippa United, Nigerian international Daniel Akpeyi, is cup-tied, having already featured for his former club in the cup this season. Itumeleng Khune is out injured for the rest of the season. Namibian international Virgil Vries failed to make use of his opportunities as he committed two blunders against Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City.
Chiefs will be aware that they can’t afford to take their foot off the pedal against Magic. They were upset by small clubs several times in the past. Few will forget their loss against Baroka FC in 2011. Baroka were still playing in the ABC Motsepe League then. Amakhosi were also stunned by FC Cape Town and Pretoria University in knockout competitions.
Amakhosi are desperate for silverware. They haven’t lifted a cup in five years. The last time they tasted glory was in 2015 under the leadership of Stuart Baxter, the current Bafana Bafana coach. They captured the Absa Premiership and the MTN8.
The Soweto giants went close to winning a cup in 2015/16 in Steve Komphela’s first season of his three-season spell with Amakhosi. Chiefs lost against Ajax Cape Town in the final of the MTN8. They were also dispatched by Mamelodi Sundowns in the final of the Telkom Knockout.
Chiefs will look to take advantage of the favourable draw. They were also pitted against minnows, Tornado FC, in the earlier round.
Chiefs laboured to 1-0 victory to reach the last 16. They will aim to brush off Magic and get closer to a 14th triumph in this competition.
The Glamour Boys are the most successful team in the history of the competition, but they haven’t won the Nedbank Cup since 2013.