AmaZulu yearn for piece of silverware

As the bulk of  the AmaZulu squad has not won any piece of silverware before, one of a few players who has tasted success before, Wayde Jooste, has exhorted fellow teammates with a cup winning history to play a leading role in motivating those who have never won anything. 

AmaZulu face TS Galaxy in the Carling Knockout semifinals at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday (3pm). Jooste, whose achievements, among others, include the MTN8 he won at Orlando Pirates in the 2020/21 season, has urged the small group of his teammates with a history of winning cups to make those who have never tasted success before understand the significance of winning a cup as the Carling Knockout semifinal looms large.

“It’s not only me who has won things before; there’s a handful of guys as well. With all our experiences, we can help each other,”' the 32-year-old Jooste said.

“It’s very important for us to use our experiences of winning cups... just to make the other guys [who’ve never won anything in the past] understand that if we do win this semifinal, what is at stake. We must make them aware that winning this cup would see them make history for themselves as individuals.”

Ben Motshwari, who won the league title with Bidvest Wits in the 2016/17 term and a few other cups at Pirates, is one of a few AmaZulu stars who’ve lifted trophies in the past. George Maluleka, a five-time league winner with three different sides in SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, is the most decorated player in the current Usuthu squad.

Usuthu have already won against Galaxy this season, beating them 1-0 at home in the league in August. However, Jooste has suggested their league triumph over the Rockets will not, in any way, give them an edge. 

“I don’t think the game we will play on Sunday will be the same as the game we played against them in the league. You can play the same team twice or three times in a short space of time but those games won’t be the same,” Jooste stated.