Bucks,drawn against PSL team, face tough Cup fight

MTHATHA Bucks and EC Bees were both drawn away from home when the Nedbank Cup’s last 32 draw was made late Monday.

The province’s only National First Division side, Mthatha Bucks has been drawn against PSL outfit AmaZulu.

ABC Motsepe League outfit, Bees, who will be entering the main draw for the third consecutive year, have been drawn against Mariveni, who made headlines during last season’s instalment of the tournament when they took on Mamelodi Sundowns and lost 2-0.

Bucks chief operating officer Lunga “Doc” Tukute welcomed the draw, but admitted that they had to “pull up their socks” in order to have a chance at glory.

“I knew if we would be drawn against a PSL side things would be tough. It was going to be better if it was an NFD or ABC Motsepe League side.

“But we are getting closer now and we are just crossing our fingers to play during the weekend, because our match is Tshakuma Tsha Madzhivhandila on February 3 and Nedbank Cup starts on the 7th.”

He said Amathol’amnyama, while they were used to competing against AmaZulu and had never lost to Usuthu in the NFD, wanted to focus on avoiding relegation in the league.

“We are hoping for positive results like from the past, because even before they went to the PSL we beat them 2-1 in Durban.

“We are fortunate when it comes to them [AmaZulu] and we are hoping history will repeat itself, because we need the Nedbank Cup financially as a club. We need it for profiling as well.

“We want to pull the team out of the relegation zone, but if we could go to the last 16 things would be much better for us.”

Tukute said they have made additions to the squad and would soon announce the new players they have brought in.

EC Bees coach Chippa Njedu said their aim was to qualify for the next round.

“God always does things we ask for because we’ve been praying for a team that is playing at our league or even the SAB League, and that has happened.

“Now it’s up to us to make the best of this, because Mariveni is a strong side.

“Last year they played against Sundowns and they gave them a run for their money.”

Bees are coming off a 1-1 draw away to PE Stars and Njedu admitted they were put to task by the Port Elizabeth-based outfit.

“That was a tough game but we gave them a hard time because they scored through a penalty. But you could see that the break has taken a toll on every club,” said Njedu.

Fixtures: Safa – Western Cape Team v Orbit College, Mariveni United v EC Bees, Swallows v Maritzburg United, Kaizer Chiefs v Golden Arrows, Cape Town All Stars v Mamelodi Sundowns, SAFA – Mpumalanga Team v Chippa United, Orlando Pirates v Ajax Cape Town, Bidvest Wits v Cape Town City, AmaZulu v Mthatha Bucks, Super Eagles v Free State Stars, Platinum Stars v Baroka, Richards Bay v Bloemfontein Young Tigers, Stellenbosch FC v Highlands Park, Bloemfontein Celtic v SuperSport United, Happy Wanderers v Royal Eagles, Ubuntu Cape Town v Polokwane City.