AmaZulu defender Taariq Fielies has admitted they missed a huge opportunity not to go all the way in the Carling Knockout Cup looking at the teams that contested the final.
It is more painful to Usuthu as the League Cup final was played at Usuthu’s home venue – Moses Mabhida Stadium as it was won by Stellenbosch FC on Saturday.
Steve Barker’s side deservedly won 5-4 on penalty shootouts against TS Galaxy, who were the conquerors of Usuthu in the semi-finals.
Usuthu had done the hard work to reach the last four, having defeated Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in the first round for the first time in any knockout competition in the PSL at FNB Stadium.
Fielies scored the winner in that game at the 2010 World Cup final stadium, sliding the ball past Itumeleng Khune in goals on the edge of the box, before hammering Golden Arrows 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
“Everyone wants to play in the final,” said Fielies.
“For us, it was just unfortunate that we didn’t get the results that we wanted. But I’m sure there are more cups to be won in the future here.
“I can guarantee you that AmaZulu eventually will pick up silverware.”
The only trophy Fielies has won in his career was the MTN8 with Cape Town City, beating SuperSport United in the penalty shootouts at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the 2018/19 season under former AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy.
Usuthu next host Cape Town Spurs, Fielies’ hometown club, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday (19:30), with Ernst Middendorp’s side sitting at the bottom of the DStv Premiership table with three points after 14 matches. They have lost 13 of those games, winning once against Orlando Pirates.
Fielies says they will show no mercy to the grappling-for-points Spurs because they do have their aspiration to achieve this season.
“Any team in that position they will take any result they will get. They will come here because they have nothing to lose – they know they must get the result,” said Fielies.
“But for us on the other hand, we want to build and go with the momentum we have, and we know what we are capable of. We are not going to get into the heat of the moment knowing that the place that the opposition is in, but bear in mind that it is still a league game, and it is important for us to get in a better position.”
AmaZulu is positioned 10th in the DStv Premiership table with 18 points after 14 matches played.
