‘Shaka Zulu’ the missing piece in McCarthy’s City puzzle
BENNI MCCARTHY will face Mamelodi Sundowns again in another cup tussle and is backing his Cape Town City side to sweep past Masandawana when they meet in a two legged MTN8 semi final.
The winner of this titanic clash will face either Kaizer Chiefs or SuperSport United in the final.
The first legs of the semi finals will be played on August 25 and the second legs are scheduled for September 1.
City will be at home in August and travel to Pretoria in September.
The clash between City and Sundowns is going to be the repeat of last season Nedbank Cup quarterfinal, where Sundowns got the better of City 2-1 at Cape Town Stadium.
McCarthy is not fazed about facing the reigning PSL champions, Sundowns.
“Last season and this season are two different animals. They have strengthened and everyone can see that. Every game there are two new players. They just look better and better. It is going to be a very difficult encounter. They might be Goliath in this situation but we are not scared of anyone. If you want to be champions, if you want to win titles, you got to beat the best in the competition,” McCarthy said.
The Citizens reached the MTN8 final last season but lost out to SuperSport United on penalties.
“Last season we were in a similar situation. We played against Bidvest Wits (the PSL champions at that time). We had no chance against Wits but we went past them and we were in the final. We have to take one game at the time. When Sundowns come we will deal with them,” he added.
City were rampant in their first game at home this season, beating SuperSport United 2-0 at Cape Town Stadium.
“If you were there at home against SuperSport United, most people can tell that we are not a walk in the park. It will be a nice game,” McCarthy explained as he fired a warning to Sundowns.
He will be banking on Siphelele “Shaka Zulu” Mthembu again to give them an edge in physical and aerial duels.
The former Bafana Bafana hitman feels that Mthembu was the missing puzzle in City’s set up.
“Shaka is the man. He gives us a complete outlook. If you look at us last season, we were a good football-playing team but we didn’t have bite. We didn’t have that depth and someone who will hold the ball for us. Shaka has given us that. I’m very happy to have Shaka. He has that Zlatan Ibrahamovic style,” he concluded. ALAN HATHERLY produced his best result in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series, winning the men’s Under23 cross-country event in Mont-SainteAnne, Canada on Sunday.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist is continuing his rise in the world mountain biking ranks after last year’s under-23 world championships silver medal victory.
Hatherly won the race in a time of 1:17:44 finishing ahead of American Chris Blevins in second place with Jose Gerardo Ulloa Arevalo bagging the bronze medal.
“It’s unbelievable to finally get the win.
“We’ve been working for this now for longer than two years obviously, but I feel likes it’s been possible for the last two years and to finally have pulled it off is massive,” the Kenilworth-based Hatherly said in a Team Spur press release.
“With all the ups and downs of this year, broken bones, anaemia mid-season... it’s not ideal. To bounce back towards the end of the season is incredible.”
Hatherly had finished second at the 2017 Andorra World Cup and third at this year’s event in the Czech Republic in the under-23 category.
He won the Commonwealth bronze medal just months after breaking both his wrists in a mountain bike stage race in February.
“I am so stoked that all the effort has paid off. The last few weeks have been so hard but to walk away with the win makes it all worth it,” Hatherly said.
The South African positioned himself among the lead bunch at the start of the race where he looked for an opportunity to attack.
Lying in fifth place he made his move halfway through the first lap where he had company from Frenchman Joshua Dubau and Blevins.
Dubau crashed on the descent leaving Hatherly and Blevins to open a gap on the rest of the competitors.
“We kept it wide open to get the gap as early on in the race as possible, so we could play tactics towards the end of it,” Hatherly said.
“Having the buffer puts you in a good position to play the tactical game.
“Whereas if (the chasers) are hot on your heels you don’t have time to work out the strategies.
“Chris and I pulled together, rotated and kept it steady through to the last lap.”
Hatherly managed to get the edge on Blevins to take the victory, giving him his biggest win yet on the circuit.
The South African will be preparing for the next World Cup in La Bresse, France and the XCO World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland in September.