Sekhukhune United boss Cedric Kaze demands response from Orlando Pirates test

Sekhukhune United coach Cedric Kaze says he is eager to assess how his team responds when it begins a demanding sequence of three matches against Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 and the league.

Babina Noko will welcome the Buccaneers to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday for the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00. The two sides will meet again in a league fixture at Orlando Amstel Arena on 25 August before returning to Soweto four days later for the semi-final second leg.

The run of games comes after Sekhukhune United restored some confidence with a win over Polokwane City at the weekend. That result followed a disappointing 2-0 defeat, and Kaze believes the victory provided an important platform before the first meeting with Orlando Pirates.

“It was the third game in six days, and to finish it with a win is very important because we have a very busy week, and it was good to finish on a positive note,” Kaze said. “Now we will get some rest and recover and prepare well for the MTN8 seminal.”

Kaze was encouraged by the way his players reacted after the loss but wants that same determination to continue when they face the Buccaneers.

The Sekhukhune United manager said the improvement against Polokwane City was driven by a stronger attitude and greater belief, qualities he felt had been missing in the previous match against Chiefs.

“Yeah, it’s the kind of reaction that we were waiting for, and it’s a derby as well. It’s a good way to react and to get back to the winning side of the league. The difference was in the attitude, in the belief that we wanted to do something.

“I thought that in the game in the midweek [against Chiefs], we gave too much space, too much respect to the opponent, and we didn’t play our game and press them and play with the belief that we can make things happen. That was the difference today.”

The schedule will test Sekhukhune United’s ability to recover quickly and maintain its level across domestic competition. Their first priority is Saturday’s MTN8 semi-final first leg, with the league encounter and return fixture to follow in quick succession.

The other MTN8 semi-final begins on Sunday, when Mamelodi Sundowns host Golden Arrows at Lucas Moripe Stadium in the first leg.

Kaze’s side will therefore enter the Orlando Pirates contest with momentum from their latest league success, but also with a physically demanding period ahead. The coach’s immediate objective is to ensure that the response shown against Polokwane City is repeated when Sekhukhune United face the Buccaneers in the opening match of their three-game spell.