Casric Stars coach Bucs Mthombeni on beating AmaZulu in the Nedbank Cup: I think the 'underdogs' tag helped us approach this game with no pressure
Bucs Mthombeni insists the underdog tag played a crucial role in Casric Stars’ 2-1 victory over AmaZulu in the Nedbank Cup.
Stars win via a Decide Chauke strike in extra time sent the Motsepe Foundation Championship side into the Ke Yona competition semi-finals while dumping Betway Premiership outfit AmaZulu out of the competition.
Mthombeni said – after the game at Moses Mabhida Stadium – his side faced a well-oiled machine in Usuthu as the Durban club has been impressive under Arthur Zwane.
“We were up against a very formidable side, and Arthur Zwane is an exceptional coach. In terms of build-up play and box entries, they were certainly the better team,” Mthombeni told SuperSport TV. “But I was adamant about sticking to our game plan. We came here prepared to ‘suffer’ because we knew our status as the underdogs.
“The most important factor was my belief in what these boys are capable of. At half-time, I told them we needed to inject more energy. We struggled in the first half, but around the 70th minute, I reminded them that AmaZulu had played on Wednesday. I gambled on the fact that they wouldn’t be able to cover the whole pitch for 90 minutes. We started rotating the ball, and with the tactical changes I made, I knew exactly what I was looking for.
“Despite a few mistakes where I had to urge the players to stay calm and focused, I knew that if we could just take the game into extra time or penalties, my job was effectively done."
