Sekhukhune United head coach Papi Zothwane believes his previous Carling Knockout Cup experience with Magesi can inspire his current side as they prepare to face former club Richards Bay in the last 16.
Zothwane was part of Clinton Larsen’s technical team when Magesi stunned Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2024 final to lift the trophy, securing one of the biggest cup upsets in South African football history.
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The experience of reaching a final and beating one of the continent’s biggest clubs is something Zothwane hopes to pass on to his Sekhukhune players as they target silverware this season.
“From my experience, it has to rub off on the team, the players, share the memories, and the feeling of going to a final and even winning it, against one of the biggest teams in Africa – so I will definitely push my team to see the possibility of going to the final,” he said.
However, Zothwane insists Sekhukhune must remain focused on the immediate challenge, with Richards Bay standing between them and a place in the quarter-finals.
The coach acknowledged the difficulty of the assignment but believes the Carling Knockout presents an opportunity for Babina Noko to turn their ambitions into tangible success.
“But it goes by winning one game at a time, and we’re now playing against Richards Bay – a tough opponent, it’s nice to win a cup, so as a team we have an ambition to win a trophy and Black Label gives us an opportunity to do that,” he added.
Zothwane also stressed that Sekhukhune would approach the encounter with the necessary respect for their opponents, despite their ambitions of progressing further in the competition.
“We will approach this fixture with caution and respect of the opposition we’re playing against, and we hope to go to the next round,” he concluded.
Sekhukhune will now look to navigate a challenging last-16 tie against Richards Bay, with Zothwane hoping his experience of cup success can help guide the club towards another memorable run in the Carling Knockout.