DURBAN - If AmaZulu are to achieve their goal of challenging for a top four position this season, it is essential that they regularly win points against the best sides in the league.
Usuthu will have a big test on Sunday when they face off against defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Whilst the KZN side can take confidence from their 2-0 win against Black Leopards two weeks ago, the game against Sundowns will be a different ball game altogether, something which defender Tapelo Xoki appears to be aware of.
“Even though it has been some time since we last played, we need to pick up where we left off. It is a different ball game altogether, playing away. We will be against a team who are very competitive, champions and difficult to play against. We have to back ourselves and make sure we get the momentum going. We must try to build on the last game,” said Xoki.
The game will be especially challenging for Usuthu given they lost all three of their games played against Downs last season, conceding nine goals.
“In every match we have to have confidence. Confidence comes from good results and working hard in training. We have to keep a positive mentality amongst the team. It will be a big game and there will be three points up for grabs. We know they will want the three points, something which we want. These games are very important. We did not do well in our first away game (a 1-0 defeat against TS Galaxy).”
“We have to make sure we apply what we learnt from the first away game to this one. It is a game of small margins as we have seen from previous games. We have to make sure we play the game to the best of our abilities,” said the Khayelitsha born player.
Sundowns head into the clash in pole position on the standings. Though Masandawana played out to a frustrating 0-0 stalemate against newcomers Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila last month, they recorded comfortable wins over Cape Town City and Kaizer Chiefs in their other two games.
@eshlinv