Menzi Chili ready to face former Milford team-mate Bulelani Sigomoshe

Milford FC midfielder Menzi Chili says personal friendships will be put aside when his side face Orlando Pirates in the last 16 of the Carling Knockout Cup tonight.

The KwaZulu-Natal club are aiming to produce an upset against the defending champions and reach the quarter-finals, but the match will also reunite Chili with former Milford team-mate Bulelani Sigomoshe.

The 26-year-old right-back left Milford for Pirates in September, with the Buccaneers announcing his arrival as part of their efforts to strengthen their squad and increase their defensive options.

Sigomoshe has since started the next stage of his career at the Soweto club and has featured in most of their recent matches under coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.

For Chili, seeing his former colleague on the opposing side will make the cup tie particularly significant. He told the Siya crew he was proud of the progress Sigomoshe had made, while recognising the qualities he can offer Pirates.

“It would definitely be a special moment. Ace is one of our own, and seeing him take that next step in his career is something we’re all proud of. We know the quality he has and what he can bring to Pirates,” Chili said.

However, the Milford midfielder stressed that the importance of the knockout fixture would take priority once the game began.

“But for those 90 minutes, the friendship will have to wait. We have a job to do, and I’m sure he will be just as determined to do his,” he added.

Milford face tough test

Milford go into the match facing a Pirates team with significant experience of knockout football. Chili has previously described the Buccaneers as one of the biggest clubs on the continent, while insisting that Milford would approach the contest with confidence rather than unnecessary pressure.

The midfielder also emphasised that a cup tie brings different demands from a league match. Milford intend to remain committed to their usual style of play as they seek a positive result against the defending champions.

The winners will secure a place in the quarter-finals, leaving Milford with the task of overcoming both Pirates’ experience and the pressure that comes with facing the holders.

For Chili, the occasion offers the added challenge of competing directly against a player he once shared a dressing room with. Yet once the match starts, he says the focus will be on helping Milford progress rather than renewing an old partnership.

Milford will hope that their determination can produce a memorable performance and a place in the next round of the Carling Knockout Cup.