The Carling Knockout Cup kicks off at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban tonight, where defending champions Stellenbosch will kick off their campaign against hosts AmaZulu in the Round of 16.
Coach Steve Barker’s men beat TS Galaxy in the final of the competition last year and also klapped Polokwane City and Richards Bay on the road to glory.
Last year’s Player of the Tournament, Devin Titus, knows that this year will provide a different challenge.
As defending champions, he knows they’ll have a target on their back, starting against AmaZulu at 7pm.
Titus tells his team’s website: “As defending champions we have a target on our back and every team will be coming out full throttle against us, so we just have to do what we do best and hopefully we can reclaim our title at the end of the tournament.
“Being first-time champions was incredibly special, but now we have a responsibility as champions to own that status. It’s not enough to just show up, we have to be at our best in all four games.”
While Stellies will be out to erase the memories of their hartseer MTN8 final defeat to Orlando Pirates before the international break, their Cape neighbours Cape Town City are preparing to host Royal AM at Cape Town Stadium tomorrow night at 8pm.
Coach Eric Tinkler’s men failed to get past this hurdle last season, going down to Golden Arrows 3-1 at the Round of 16 stage.
In other action this weekend, newly-crowned MTN8 champions Orlando Pirates will go all out to get off to a good start in their pursuit to make it two from two in cup competitions when they host Magesi at 3pm tomorrow, with Polokwane City entertaining Marumo Gallants at the same time.
Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows then set the table at 6pm for Saturday’s main course which will see Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United go head to head at 8pm.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za