Zothwane hopes Magesi cup triumph can inspire Sekhukhune against Richards Bay

Sekhukhune United head coach Papi Zothwane is drawing on his Carling Knockout Cup success with Magesi as his side prepare to meet former club Richards Bay in the last 16.

Zothwane was part of Clinton Larsen’s technical team when Magesi produced a major upset by defeating Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2024 final. The victory secured the trophy for Magesi and became one of the biggest cup upsets in South African football history.

That experience of reaching a final, overcoming one of Africa’s biggest clubs and ultimately lifting the trophy is something Zothwane wants to share with his current players.

“From my experience, it has to rub off on the team, the players, share the memories, and the feeling of going to a final and even winning it, against one of the biggest teams in Africa – so I will definitely push my team to see the possibility of going to the final,” he said.

Zothwane believes those memories can help Sekhukhune United approach the competition with a stronger belief that they can challenge for silverware this season. However, he also stressed that their focus must remain on the next match rather than looking too far ahead.

Richards Bay now stand between Babina Noko and a place in the quarter-finals. Zothwane acknowledged the quality of the opposition but said the Carling Knockout gives Sekhukhune an opportunity to turn their ambitions into a trophy.

“But it goes by winning one game at a time, and we’re now playing against Richards Bay – a tough opponent, it’s nice to win a cup, so as a team we have an ambition to win a trophy and Black Label gives us an opportunity to do that,” he added.

The Sekhukhune coach also underlined the importance of respecting Richards Bay, despite his team’s determination to progress further in the competition. He said the tie would be approached carefully as they seek to continue their cup campaign.

“We will approach this fixture with caution and respect of the opposition we’re playing against, and we hope to go to the next round,” he concluded.

Sekhukhune will therefore attempt to negotiate a difficult last-16 meeting with Richards Bay. Zothwane will hope the lessons and confidence gained from Magesi’s memorable 2024 triumph can help guide his current club towards another significant run in the Carling Knockout.