Smiso Msomi
The opening round of the Carling Knockout Cup has provided nothing short of misery for KwaZulu Natal clubs, with defeats left, right and centre.
With Richards Bay and AmaZulu making the last four of the competition last season, much was expected from the coastal quadruple of clubs in the province this season. However, it hasn't quite worked out that way, with Usuthu, Golden Arrows, and Royal AM already booted out of contention for the valuable R7 million prize money.
Abafana Besthende were hit the hardest, as a 5-0 spanking at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns left a lasting mark. Having had a tumultuous start to the campaign, Arrows were targeting a remarkable scalp in the Brazilians but were simply outclassed in Pretoria.
Speaking after the match, head coach Mabhuti Khenyeza admitted defeat to the much better team on the day but felt his team had a spell in the game which they could take and move forward.
“It was difficult for us to come out, especially in the first half, but after we made changes, we looked dangerous, and they created fewer chances,” he said.
“That 30 minutes should give us a guide moving forward because sometimes you do things unaware, and they lead to receiving information about how to do certain things in the future.”
Royal AM could not save the blushes of KZN clubs as they were swept aside by Cape Town City at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday.
Goals by Amadou Sokouna, Jayden Rhodes, and Jody AhShene saw the Citizens prove too much for a changed-up John Maduka side that featured a couple of the fringe players. Thwihli Thwahla were handed a heavy blow as Fifa confirmed their inability to sign players following a lengthy appeal.
In an attempt to test his squad’s strength in depth, Maduka fielded some of his inactive players at this stage of the season and paid the ultimate price.
“Most of the players that played today, it was their first game, so it was expected that somewhere somehow they would make mistakes,” he said.
“It's unlike the players that we used in the three games we drew. There are so many positives that we took.
“Yes, there are negatives that we'll need to work on so we can improve because we don't have a choice, but it was very important for us to give them a chance and see what they can do on this platform.”
Maduka and his men will have to muster up some courage very quickly, with a Betway Premiership clash with Sundowns coming in two days. Royal AM will travel to the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday for a 7:30 pm kick-off under the lights.
For Arrows, they'll have the entire week to restructure, with their clash against Chippa United only coming next Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.