Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids says his side want to beat Kaizer Chiefs in their Nedbank Cup round of 32 clash at Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday, which has been sold out.
As the league looks to have been sewn up by the unstoppable machine of Mamelodi Sundowns, the Ke Yona Cup is the only trophy that Chiefs can win, with the first hurdle a resilient Maritzburg side on Friday (19:30).
Chiefs are currently sitting 27 points behind leaders Sundowns after 19 games played, though the Tshwane giants have played two more matches.
Sundowns, unlike Chiefs, have already booked their place in the Nedbank round of 16 after overcoming a stubborn Richards Bay side at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday night.
Davids described playing against Chiefs as two folds – saying he wants to continue to develop the team because the league is the ultimate focus for his side, but a win could boost the team’s morale in their fight for DStv Premiership survival as they lie second from bottom of the table, three points ahead of bottom placed Marumo Gallants.
“You can win this game and lose the next one, it does not really help your cause,” said Davids.
“We are approaching it like we approach any other game; we approach it to win like any other game. I don’t think we go in to any match to play for a draw because the draw does not help you in the situation we are in.
“Like I said earlier, it is a game to try to get the performance level in a consistent way throughout 90 minutes and that is how we approach the game. We approach the game to win but also approach the game to improve the team.”
With the game taking place on Friday night at Harry Gwala Stadium, fans are set to flock into the venue, with the PSL confirming on Wednesday that tickets were sold out.
Friday nights became a key success to Maritzburg’s performancse in the past, and also under Davids who led the club in his first stint to the Ke Yona Cup final in the 2017/18 season.
Davids wants to take advantage of that home buzz created at the venue on Friday night.
“Friday night at Harry Gwala is normally a special occasion on its own,” he added.
“And Kaizer Chiefs coming to the city brings excitement. It’s definitely a match both teams want to win – Kaizer Chiefs are playing for silverware, and this is probably the competition they would really focus on and we are playing to win.”
Maritzburg went unbeaten at home on a Friday between 27 November 2020, when they picked up a league loss at Harry Gwala Stadium against SuperSport, and losing to Free State Stars in March 2017.
Delron Buckley was in charge as Ernst Middendorp was just appointed a few days ago, with Davids likely keen to turn Harry Gwala into a fortress again.
