Jayden Adams, Manqoba Mngqithi and Gavin Hunt are all in the spotlight.
Stellenbosch must hope Adams has a Carling Knockout point to prove
Jayden Adams was unceremoniously dropped from the Bafana Bafana squad by Hugo Broos last week. Adams, according to Broos, had not shown an acceptable attitude upon reporting for camp after Stellenbosch’s loss to Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final.
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Was the talented midfielder affected by his side’s defeat to the Buccaneers? Is he upset after not securing a move to Mamelodi Sundowns in the last transfer window?
Stellies have remained tight-lipped on the matter. But Steve Barker must hope his man has reflected during his time off and comes back determined to show what he can do on the field of play. Adams was one of Stellies’ star men as they won the Carling Black Label Knockout last season. That was the Cape Winelands’ side’s first piece of top flight silverware.
AmaZulu host Stellies in the last 16 of this year’s Carling Knockout on Friday night. Usuthu have had a season of turmoil up to now, parting ways already with Spanish head coach Pablo Franco Martin.
AmaZulu have now appointed Arthur Zwane and Vusumizi Vilakazi as co-head coaches. They will hope for an immediate impact on Friday. Stellies, however, have to be favourites to progress, especially if Adams comes out fired up at the King Zwelithini Stadium.
Will Sundowns’ Mngqithi stick or twist against Arrows in Carling Knockout?
It will be fascinating to see whether Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi restores Teboho Mokoena to his squad on Saturday for the Carling Knockout last 16 clash with Golden Arrows.
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Mokoena was in fine form for Bafana Bafana during the October international break, especially during the home game against Congo-Brazzaville, where he netted a brace in a 5-0 thumping.
The 28 year-old midfielder, however, has not been in the Sundowns squad since the September international break, with Mngqithi preferring Rivaldo Coetzee in central midfield.
In Mngqithi’s pre-match press conference on Thursday, the Sundowns head coach was clearly upset with his Bafana counterpart Hugo Broos. Broos has openly questioned why Mokoena has not been in the Sundowns team.
Even if he is on the bench on Saturday, it would be an improvement to Mokoena’s current situation at Sundowns. But Sundowns have been doing well, and Mngqithi may also see no reason to change what is currently working.
Can SuperSport find any sort of killer instinct against Chiefs?
SuperSport United have been struggling for goals so far this season, with just two in five matches in all competitions. Gavin Hunt’s side have not been helped by a serious injury to Bradley Grobler, but they should still be able to get more out of the resources that are at their disposal.
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If they don’t produce more attacking quality against Kaizer Chiefs in the last 16 of the Carling Knockout on Saturday night, it seems likely Matsatsantsa will lose against Nasreddine Nabi’s side, who are looking far more lively in attack this season.
Hunt is an experienced coach, and will no doubt have a tactical plan to take down Nabi, who was full of praise for SuperSport in the build up to this weekend’s match.
But to achieve a victory the SuperSport head coach will surely have to get more out of the likes of Terrence Dzvukamanja and new signing Vincent Pule.
