The crucial MTN8 semi-final 2nd leg game will be held this weekend, to determine the cup finalists.
Sekhukhune United will be looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit, when they face Stellenbosch FC at the Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane on Saturday.
Babina Noko conceded what the coach Erick Tinkler described as two silly goals, during the first leg encounter last weekend.
Tinkler said the team will have to play its best football this season to win against Stellies.
“Mammoth task ahead of us, not going to be easy to break down Stellies.
Defensively they’re very organised, structured and obviously very dangerous on the counterattack.
But now at home we need to rectify those mistakes, be positive, go with the positive mentality into the game, know that we have everything to gain, if we can get ourselves back into the game nice and early, and try to turn the results around,” said Tinkler.
For his part, Stellies coach Steve Barker said the team will be cautious against the wounded Sekhukhune, as they will be playing at home.
“We are very aware the game is only halfway done, Sekhukhune are a very good team, they’re showing that in their league form.
Obviously, they have the same ambition to play in the final.
We understand that the challenge will be big for us, but at the same time must reward ourselves for an excellent performance in the first leg.
It’ll be unwise to defend the 2-0 lead, positive and take the game to Sekhukhune and get an important away goal rule,” cautioned Barker, whose team was beaten during last season by Orlando Pirates.
Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates will lock horns at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, in the other second leg encounter.
They both shared the spoils last week, when they played to a 1-1 draw at the sold-out Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Sundowns go into the match without star players, Lucas Ribeiro and Khuliso Mudau.
The two haven’t played for the club this season, as they await moves to overseas clubs.
But Sundowns coach, Miguel Cardoso, has sought to underplay their absence.
“Sundowns is preserving everything that might be happening and keeping it indoors, the locker room is impossible to be broken by this kind of thing, the locker room is too strong, the values inside the club are too strong.
The focus is so strong on becoming better, working to improve in every match, and the time is so small, the levels of concentration, of course, must be so high; we don’t have to react to what happens around,” said Cardoso.
Pirates, who are the defending champions, will be hoping to score a quick away goal, to turn the deficit around.
The Buccaneers have struggled since the start of the 2025/26 season, and only registered their first win on Tuesday, when they beat Stellenbosch 1-0 in the Betway Premiership.
Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is optimistic that the team will continue where it left off on Tuesday.
We had a great game in the first leg.
I think both teams played fantastic teams in the first leg.
We have the qualities to go there and perform, but we know that it won’t be easy because we won’t be playing at home.
We have the title to defend; we will go out there as an ambitious side, so that we get a chance to defend this cup.
The boys are ready to perform,” remarked Ouaddou.
