Mngqithi Dismisses “Home Advantage” Ahead Of Durban City Clash

Golden Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi says home advantage will count for little when they face Durban City, noting that both teams are based in Durban and are familiar with the conditions.

Arrows will play their third home match in the Nedbank Cup when they host Pitso Dladla’s side in the quarter-final at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday night.

Abafana Bes’Thende have lost only four matches at home this season — against Orlando Pirates [league], AmaZulu [league] and Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout — all played at King Zwelithini Stadium.

Their match against Kaizer Chiefs earlier in the season was played at Moses Mabhida Stadium, their alternative venue, as Amakhosi were in good form at the time and King Zwelithini was deemed too small for the fixture.

However, Arrows’ last home defeat came in December against AmaZulu. Since then, they have won both of their Nedbank Cup matches at home heading into Sunday’s clash with City.

“It is a cup match,” said Mngqithi.

“The history is not important. Records and everything else are not very important. We have to face the team that is in front of us and try to win that particular game.

“Sometimes history can mislead you. The focus should be on making sure that we beat Durban City, and we know it is not going to be an easy match.

“You could talk about home advantage, but unfortunately it is two teams that are coming from Durban anyway.

“So I don’t see much difference — maybe just 20 kilometres apart.”

The last time Arrows reached the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup was in the 2018/19 season under Steve Komphela. They lost to TS Galaxy, who went on to win the competition by beating Chiefs in the final in Durban.

This year’s Nedbank Cup appears wide open after Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and Pirates all exited in the early rounds.

On Saturday, two Motsepe Foundation Championship sides shocked Betway Premiership teams — Casric Stars stunned AmaZulu, while Milford knocked out Sekhukhune United.

When asked whether the competition is now up for grabs with the traditional “big three” out, Mngqithi said cup tournaments are always unpredictable.

“Any cup competition is always up for grabs,” said Mngqithi, who won the MTN8 with Arrows during his first stint at the club in 2009.

“I never look at it from the perspective of whether the big teams are there or not, because sometimes the big ones can even be easier — there is less stress compared to matches people think you are entitled to win.

“With teams that are taken for granted, that is where you have to put a lot of thorough planning into making sure that you overcome them.

“But against bigger, more illustrious opponents, there is naturally an element of motivation within the players, and you do not have to motivate them much to deliver in a game.”