Benni wary of Ajax upset in home town

Benni McCarthy is nervous about making a return to his roots in Cape Town for Orlando Pirates' tricky clash against Ajax Cape Town tomorrow night.

The Pirates striker's first Absa Premiership encounter in his home town was "humiliating", with the defending champions handed a 3-0 defeat by Santos.

McCarthy, who has scored eight goals this season, said he was excited and nervous to be travelling to Cape Town for the crucial match in the Buccaneers' title chase.

Ajax will host Pirates at the Cape Town stadium, and McCarthy, who grew up in Hanover Park, said a win for the log leaders would put them in pole position to lift the league title next month.

"I am very nervous, because Cape Town has not been pleasant to Pirates. We know what to expect, but I am not going to find myself in a situation where we blow it," said the former Bafana goal ace.

"Last time I went home it was a disaster and Santos hammered us. They humiliated us. Ajax should be wary of playing us because they are going to face a different Pirates with a different mindset."

The defeat to Santos last month was Pirates' only league loss since Augusto Palacios took over from Julio Leal.

Pirates have toppled Mamelodi Sundowns from the summit of the Premier League table, and now occupy the top spot for the first time since mid-December.

"This whole season we didn't know what it was like to be at the top of the league table. We are not going to make life easy for Sundowns, Supersport United, Moroka Swallows or whoever thinks they will catch us," McCarthy said.

With many dubbing it the league nobody wants to win, McCarthy attributed the tight race at the top of the log to competitiveness: "Our football is stronger, it's no longer a one- or two-horse race.

"Anybody can win it and for the fans that is incredible."

Pirates, who are two points clear of Sundowns, will complete their league season with matches against Supersport, Bloemfontein Celtic and Golden Arrows.

"We're not going to let this slip now. We have been riding on luck all this time and now I hear that the big teams that were at the top are being called chokers. Hopefully that doesn't apply to us," said McCarthy.