Nedbank Cup preview: Sekhukhune United v AmaZulu

By SABC Sport
13th March 2024

Sekhukhune United will battle it out with AmaZulu for a place in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.

Last season's losing finalists needed penalties to see off Highlands Park in the round of 32 clash as Usuthu edged Royal AM 1-0 in their first round tie.

Under new head coach Lehlohonolo Seema, Sekhukhune have enjoyed a good run of form, and currently sit in sixth place on the DStv Premiership standings - although he was unable to rescue their CAF Confederation Cup campaign as they exited in the group stages.

They last faced Moroka Swallows in the league, comprehensively winning the tie by four goals to one.

Ususthu boss Pablo Franco Martin has, meanwhile, has endured a mixed bag of results this season.

The Spainiard's team are currently in 11th place on the league standings, and unbeaten in their last two ties, drawing 1-1 with both Swallows and SuperSport United.

In the lead up to this cup clash, Seema played down his club's improved form, while Martin is hopeful of a double over Sekhukhune, having won 1-0 in the league in December.

Seema said in the Sowetan: "There is a lot of work that we still need to do. We can't say we are flying high, never. We need to fight and we are looking forward to the next game."

Martin has overseen eight wins from his 24 matches in charge of AmaZulu, in all competitions, drawing nine and losing seven.

He says there is no more pressure on him than usual to secure a result from their upcoming tie.

He said on FARPost: "This is football, pressure is for the people who don't have the opportunity to feed their children or the ones who are fighting in a war.

"In the end, this is an amazing job, we're doing everything we can.

"We're trying to improve what we did in the first half of the season but the improvements are just coming from the technical staff and the players themselves [not head coach alone].

"This is a matter of responsibility and we have to share the responsibility. We need to do better, we can do better. We need to keep growing, that's for sure."