AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco has given a sense that they'll show no mercy to relegation-threatened fellow KZN side Richards Bay when the two sides clash at King Zwelithini Stadium today (7.30pm).
AmaZulu head into this DStv Premiership clash high in morale after coming from behind to beat Chippa United 2-1 at Moses Mabhida Stadium over the weekend, where Tshepang Moremi and Hendrick Ekstein were on target for them.
Conversely, Bay are wounded after losing 1-0 to fellow relegation candidates Cape Town Spurs away last Friday.
"We are here to do favours to ourselves. We are not going to give favours to anyone else. My players are already motivated without me saying anything because this is a derby. I hope the players will show the same character they showed against Chippa when we play this derby,'' Franco said.
Franco further narrated why claiming the bragging rights against Bay was crucial for Usuthu, who never won even a single one of eight KZN derbies in the league against Bay, Golden Arrows, Royal AM and Maritzburg United last term.
"Last season we played eight derbies and we got four draws and lost four times. This season we've won four derbies already and drew two, so right now we are the best team in KZN and that's something very important for the club, for the president and for the fans. It's a matter of pride. For me to finish higher than any KZN team is the first step to go for even greater things,'' the Spaniard explained.
Franco didn't hide the fact that Bay played their last match a day earlier than his team, and feared Usuthu will lack "freshness''.
"What I don't like is that our opponent (Bay) played on Friday and we played on Saturday,'' Franco said.
"We didn't have enough time to prepare because the schedule is so tight and this can make the game imbalanced ...we are not going to have that freshness because we couldn't prepare as well as we'd have liked."
Bay will be without suspended skipper Simphiwe Mcineka, while Usuthu will also miss Abbubaker Mobara, also through suspension.
Meanwhile, Spurs will be hoping to build on Friday's win over Bay when they host wounded Polokwane City at Athlone Stadium in a synchronised clash tonight.
Polokwane were demolished 5-0 by Stellenbosch at the weekend.
AmaZulu aim to be KZN top dogs
Usuthu face axe candidates Bay in provincial derby
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco has given a sense that they'll show no mercy to relegation-threatened fellow KZN side Richards Bay when the two sides clash at King Zwelithini Stadium today (7.30pm).
AmaZulu head into this DStv Premiership clash high in morale after coming from behind to beat Chippa United 2-1 at Moses Mabhida Stadium over the weekend, where Tshepang Moremi and Hendrick Ekstein were on target for them.
Conversely, Bay are wounded after losing 1-0 to fellow relegation candidates Cape Town Spurs away last Friday.
"We are here to do favours to ourselves. We are not going to give favours to anyone else. My players are already motivated without me saying anything because this is a derby. I hope the players will show the same character they showed against Chippa when we play this derby,'' Franco said.
Franco further narrated why claiming the bragging rights against Bay was crucial for Usuthu, who never won even a single one of eight KZN derbies in the league against Bay, Golden Arrows, Royal AM and Maritzburg United last term.
"Last season we played eight derbies and we got four draws and lost four times. This season we've won four derbies already and drew two, so right now we are the best team in KZN and that's something very important for the club, for the president and for the fans. It's a matter of pride. For me to finish higher than any KZN team is the first step to go for even greater things,'' the Spaniard explained.
Franco didn't hide the fact that Bay played their last match a day earlier than his team, and feared Usuthu will lack "freshness''.
"What I don't like is that our opponent (Bay) played on Friday and we played on Saturday,'' Franco said.
"We didn't have enough time to prepare because the schedule is so tight and this can make the game imbalanced ...we are not going to have that freshness because we couldn't prepare as well as we'd have liked."
Bay will be without suspended skipper Simphiwe Mcineka, while Usuthu will also miss Abbubaker Mobara, also through suspension.
Meanwhile, Spurs will be hoping to build on Friday's win over Bay when they host wounded Polokwane City at Athlone Stadium in a synchronised clash tonight.
Polokwane were demolished 5-0 by Stellenbosch at the weekend.
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