Mthombeni Ready For AmaZulu’s Nedbank Quarterfinal Test

Casric Stars coach Bucks Mthombeni says reaching the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup is a proud moment for the club as they now prepare for a tough clash against AmaZulu.

The Mpumalanga-based side reached the last eight of the competition after producing one of the biggest shocks of the tournament by eliminating Orlando Pirates in the round of 16.

Casric held the Soweto giants to a 0-0 draw during regular time and extra time before holding their nerve to win on penalties and secure a historic spot in the quarterfinals. The result marked the first time the club has progressed this far in the Nedbank Cup.

Mthombeni admitted that the achievement means a lot for the team and the club as a whole, particularly because it shows how the players are developing and competing against some of the biggest teams in South African football.

“I think as a coach, it is good for the brand and the players because it is for the first time that we went on to the quarterfinal,” Mthombeni said.

“This is showing us as a team that the players are growing day by day because it is the first time we have gone this far and played against the big odds.

“We respected Orlando Pirates, but the only thing is that we stuck to our game plan. We cannot say that this is a big achievement, but we just need to stay humble, kind, and make sure that we take one game at a time.”

Casric will now face another Betway Premiership opponent in AmaZulu when the two teams meet in the quarterfinal at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

With just two matches standing between them and a place in the final, the Motsepe Foundation Championship side will be hoping to continue their impressive cup run.

However, Mthombeni emphasized that the club’s long-term focus remains on their campaign in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

The 45-year-old mentor explained that promotion to the top flight remains the main target for the club this season.

“Our main objective is to get promotion to play against the big odds,” he added.

“We also want to see especially the young players grow by playing against the players that are already there on the big stage, like Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis. We can be happy to see our players growing, like TLB (Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who joined the Chicago Fire in the MLS).

“We are just praying and working so hard to see ourselves getting a promotion. But we are not going to put ourselves under too much pressure, but we will just take one game at a time until we finish the games.”

While their cup journey continues to capture attention, Casric remains determined to stay focused on both their Nedbank Cup ambitions and their push for promotion as they prepare for another difficult challenge against AmaZulu.