Milford FC draw on Nedbank Cup experience for Orlando Pirates test

Milford FC chairman and coach Xanti Pupuma believes his side’s recent Nedbank Cup runs can help them challenge Orlando Pirates in the Carling Knockout Cup on Tuesday.

The clubs will meet in the last 16 at Orlando Amstel Arena on 27 October, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00.

Orlando Pirates beat the KwaZulu-Natal side 2-0 in the opening match of the Betway Premiership season in Gauteng. That meeting came two months ago, but Pupuma says Milford have developed since then and are now better equipped for top-flight football.

“We kind of get used to it, hopefully we get to fix the mistakes we made against them, when we played our first game,” said Pupuma.

“One thing for sure, they will find us in a different space. We’re a little bit more confidence, we’re used to the system, we’re used to the league and the pace. Hopefully, we really go there and give them a game.”

Milford have built a reputation as giantkillers over the past two seasons, despite competing in the second tier. Their performances in the Nedbank Cup have included a run to the semi-finals last season.

Pupuma hopes that experience will give his team the belief and composure needed to progress in another domestic cup competition.

“I’m hoping that the experience that we gained from the Nedbank in the previous seasons will help us progress in this cup,” he added.

The Milford coach also underlined the difference between knockout football and the league, where teams have more opportunities to recover from a poor result.

“Cup games are different from the league, you only have one chance, and they tend to be open. Hopefully, we can use the experience we gained last season when we went all the way to the semifinals in the Nedbank Cup.”