Milford FC assistant coach Nkululeko Buthelezi says he takes confidence from past results of Kaizer Chiefs, who have a history of being upset by smaller teams in the Nedbank Cup competition.
Chiefs will host Motsepe Foundation Championship side Milford FC at FNB Stadium on Sunday in the Ke Yona Cup round of 32 (18:00).
Chiefs, who were knocked out in the semi-final of this competition last season by winners Orlando Pirates, have a reputation for shocking their fans in this cup in David against Goliath situations.
While they may be the competitions highest overall winners with 13 titles, they have also had a few banana peel moments in recent history.
Amakhosi were, in the 2020/21 season, dumped out by KZN side Richards Bay FC in the first round, when Bay was campaigning in the second-tier competition.
TS Galaxy was another team to beat Chiefs, in the 2018/19 season in the final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, becoming the first Motsepe Foundation Championship side in the PSL era to win the competition.
In the 2010/11 season, Chiefs were embarrassed by then third-tier side Baroka FC in the quarter-finals at Peter Mokaba Stadium
The season before that, Chiefs went down to Jozef Vukusic’s FC Cape Town, which had the likes of Lyle Lakay, in the first round.
Another side was the University of Pretoria in the 2008/09 season, knocking the most successful club in this competition in the second round.
This has stimulated the courage out of Buthelezi to add another shock defeat to Amakhosi, who last won this cup in the 2012/13 season.
“We will give Chiefs a tough game,” said Mkhize.
“The players are looking forward to the game and I think they will do everything they can to beat Chiefs because they are eager to show them.
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“But, technically, the entire family of Milford supports Chiefs, but the players are going to compete. Everyone knows playing against Chiefs is a motivation on its own.
“I don’t think they will lose focus; they know that as players, what is required from them. I don’t think there will be overloading excitement for them to lose the focus, I think it is hugely motivating that they are going to play against Chiefs.”
Mkhize, who admitted that “every house has its problem” due to the past unpaid salaries within the club, is facing a huge challenge as the game will be played at the Calabash, the biggest venue in South Africa or Africa, and will be played at night
Milford or most of the teams in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, are not used to playing under floodlights but in the afternoon, but Mkhize says this is not a problem.
“We came up with plans to train during the time we will play this game,” replied Mkhize.
“We have venues in Richards Bay, Empangeni (with lights) to be prepared for this game.”