Casric Stars coach Bucs Mthombeni is seeing the fruits of his mother's dedication to their love for sports as his Stars are in the Nedbank Cup semis

Bucs Mthombeni has credited his late mother’s support for his dedication to football as his Casric Stars are now in the Nedbank Cup semi-final.

Stars are a game away from the final of the Ke Yona competition having beaten AmaZulu 2-1 in Durban over the weekend.

In the semi-finals they will face another Kwa-Zulu Natal side in Durban City.

Mthombeni told SABC Sport that their run South Africa’s version of the FA Cup reminded him of his mother’s immense support to his dreams.

"Definitely my brother as the referee was finishing the game, I don't know, the spirit of my mom just came to me, just to say, if my mum was alive what was missing. I don't want to talk about my father because my mum will be in front of the TV everyday just to watch football and she gave us freedom to say, you'd rather concentrate on football than not do any sport because kids out that are not doing any sports are doing a lot of wrong things,” said Mthombeni.

"What made me emotional, I think after we played Orlando Pirates we were so under pressure because people were coming, wishing us luck and even the question that he was coming, I was so emotional.

“We played four games and we only conceded one goal before the last 32, that's what was always making me emotional but it's all in the past now. I think it was a test of love."