Meshack Motloung

Meshack Motloung

Newly appointed Maritzburg United coach Vladislav Heric is on a mission to see the KwaZulu-Natal side retaining their elite league status at the end of the season.

The Serbian-born mentor, who joined the struggling side from OR Tambo Cosmos last Friday, after Steve Komphela's turnaround, said his task was to work on the players' mental and physical strength to get the team right.

"They need to regain the composure they lost in the past few games. They have to be aggressive and focused because we're in an unenviable position," he said.

But this will be put to test tonight when the basement club hosts Santos in a Castle Premiership game at Harry Gwala Stadium at 8.

"We're looking at an aggressive defence and the frontline to bang in goals because that is the name of the game."

Nkosinathi Ngema is injured but Bradley August is back.

Santos assistant coach Sallie Adams said Thembile Kanono and Marawaan Bantam were eager to score goals.