AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin has explained how his side can beat in-form Sekhukhune United in the Last-16 of the Nedbank Cup in Polokwane on Thursday evening.
Martin’s side saw off provincial rivals Royal AM, while Sekhukhune needed penalties against Highlands Park to progress from the first round.
Babina Noko have started 2024 on fire and are the only DStv Premiership team to win all their four gamaes, making it a dauning task for Martin’s charges.
“For me one of the best teams in this competition,” said Martin.
“I think they have a very good squad, good individuals. I think that as they are playing at home and they are in a good moment they are going to try to prepare a tough game for us.
“I think they are going to press us sometimes, they are going to be organised in the medium low block sometimes and from there try to take the ball back and try to launch counter attacks because they are masters in that with the speed of their attacking players and the capacity they have to make good decisions and to finalise.
“So this is their DNA and this is what we were expecting when we played against them. Now the circumstances are different but we need to be ourselves, we need to do what we know to do with the ball and try to dominate them and to create danger to them.
“We need to be very solid in defense and we need to be very well organised in our rest defense to avoid those counter attacks.
“From there we need to win in 90 minutes but this is a knockout competition and might be 120, might be penalties. So we need to be prepared for all those scenarios.
“But I’m expecting a really tough game. I think it’s going to be a nice game to see because both teams are going for a win.”
