Supersport turn attention to cup campaign

With the hope of a fourth successive league title now a distance memory Supersport United have turned their focus to the Nedbank Cup to salvage some domestic pride.

The three-time Premier League champions, who languish in the bottom half of the standings, host Golden Arrows at Loftus in the first round of the knockout competition on Wednesday night.

Despite being eliminated at the first hurdle last season, United defender Thabo September said they were ready to give a good showing in this year’s edition of the cup competition which they last won in 2005.

“The way we are all looking at it, this is our best chance of getting some silverware this season,” said September.

“This is another competition and we are planning to do well. If you don’t do well in the league, you work on winning one of the trophies on offer.

“Maybe we should turn our focus on being the cup specialists that we were before winning the league titles.”

Supersport face a mercurial Arrows outfit who are either disastrously bad or destructively potent on their day, with Zambian goal-poacher Collins Mbesuma leading their attack.

“They are very good ball players,” September said.

“They are not just dangerous on the attack, but are defensively solid, so it will definitely be a tricky encounter.”

Perhaps more importantly, it will be United’s final test before travelling to Egypt next week where they meet continental giants Al Ahly in the first leg of their CAF Champions League first round clash in Cairo.

United have struggled for goals while their defence has been uncharacteristically leaky this season and a good all-round display against Arrows would be a huge morale booster ahead of their African sojourn.

“We prepared at the start of the season for all competitions that we were going to be involved in and plan for each competition accordingly,” September said.

“While it is always tough to travel, I feel that our biggest challenge in this campaign has been the fact that we lost crucial players and got new ones who still need time with the team.

“Also, we scored from the midfield through Daine Klate and from defenders last season, something that has been dry this time around. I can’t remember us scoring from a set piece this season.

“It’s a phase that every club goes through and we’ll get over it.”

The Nedbank Cup involves all 16 Premier League teams as well as eight first division sides and eight amateur outfits.

The competition, in its fourth season, carries a R6-million cheque for the winners, and Premiership side Wits will start as the defending champions.

Elsewhere in the first round on Wednesday, AmaZulu play Safa regional side Real Madrid from Kimberley at King Zwelithini Stadium.

In a double header at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane minnows Baroka FC play Mighty Mega Force in the afternoon and Black Leopards take on Thanda Royal Zulu in the evening.