Meeting the same team twice in a space of nine days is a tricky assignment for any side more especially when silverware is on the line, these are sentiments of AmaZulu striker Elmo Kambindu ahead of his side’s trip to Bloemfontein.
Usuthu will face Marumo Gallants for a place in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup on Saturday at the Dr Molemela Stadium at 3pm.
The KwaZulu Natal based outfit proved too much for Bahlabane Ba Ntwa last Friday in Betway Premiership action and snatched all three points on the day.
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However, AmaZulu will now have to make the trip up north to battle to keep their ambitions of silverware alive this season.
Namibian born Kambindu spoke to the media ahead of this encounter and urged nothing short of professionalism and mental fortitude as he looks to help his side secure back to back wins against Gallants.
In the last 32 AmaZulu won 5-1 against a lower division side at home. There is no doubt that Gallants will bring a different game altogether.
“No, that's, it's gonna come up to the players' mental respect. Like, we have to be really focused and not undermine our opponents. Yes we've already beaten them but if we go with that mentality, then we, then it's gonna be a different ball game,” he said.
“But now we have, we are focused, the guys are focused. They are still no, we have to approach this day as if nothing happened. We, we, it's, it's a different mindset and different mentality from the guy, we expected it to be one of those (difficult ) days but we have to go get the results.”
Usuthu head into this match in a rich vein of form having won three and drawn one of their last four outings in all competitions.
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It's calm. It's cool. It's good. It's nice.#AmaZuluFC 2⃣ ➖ 0⃣ Marumo Gallants#BetwayPrem #HebeUsuthu #UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/swIE8KYVOK
Having arrived in the January transfer window, Kambindu has already scored his first goal for Usuthu in a fiery draw against Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs.
The former Chippa United man was brought in to aid the efforts of Mamelodi Sundowns on-loan man Godspower Ighodaro, who is Usuthu’s top scorer this season who has four goals at the halfway stage.
The two strikers have been rotated frequently by the technical team but have also been paired together upfront in a more direct approach.
Kambindu has enjoyed his fast-growing bond with the Ighodaro, whom he sees as a brother at this stage and is eager to cultivate that partnership moving forward.
Yeah, that is so it's like, I don't know how to put it, but when you arrive in a place and then you just get used to the environment, eventually you get used to playing with (people), it's like brotherhood,” he said.
“Like it comes in, it just kicks in. You just get there and then you get a relationship, like a special bond and then you know how to play with each other. So it's, it's just the thing that.”