Chiefs’ Mako Targets Carling Cup Glory Ahead of Siwelele Tie

Kaizer Chiefs defender Paseka Mako has said the team wants to claim the Carling Knockout Cup after a season in which they have already fallen short in two other competitions, according to iDiski Times.

A season of disappointments so far

Amakhosi’s MTN8 campaign ended early when Golden Arrows knocked them out in their opening match of the tournament. They then exited African competition when Zambian side Red Arrows went through on penalties and secured a place in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

The Carling Knockout Cup has offered a chance to put things right. In the last 16, Chiefs beat TS Galaxy 3-0, which earned them a quarterfinal against Siwelele FC.

What Mako said

Mako spoke to the club’s official website and made it clear that the squad is taking the competition one step at a time. He said winning the trophy is the aim, but that the players are not "getting ahead of ourselves" and are only thinking about getting past this quarterfinal.

He described Siwelele as a difficult opponent and said the Chiefs players know some of their strengths. However, he stressed that the main focus is on Chiefs’ own game plan and on imposing themselves on the opposition.

The defender added that the team must stay concentrated throughout the match and carry out the instructions given by the coaching staff.

Earlier meeting and match details

The two sides have already faced each other once this season, in the Betway Premiership, where Chiefs won 3-2.

The quarterfinal will be played at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Kick-off is at 18:00 on Sunday, 8 November.

What this means for supporters

Fans planning to follow the match should note the Sunday evening start. The Carling Knockout Cup is a straight knockout competition, so the winner of this tie moves forward and the loser is out.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.