Despite dumping AmaZulu out of the Nedbank Cup, Casric Stars head coach Joseph Mthombeni says the mission remains promotion to the Betway Premiership. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Casric Stars coach Joseph Mthombeni has urged his players to keep their feet firmly on the ground after their dramatic Nedbank Cup victory over AmaZulu, insisting the club’s promotion push remains their main priority.
The Motsepe Foundation Championship side produced another giant-killing performance to defeat AmaZulu 2–1 after extra time at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, booking a place in the semi-finals of South Africa’s premier cup competition.
But while the result extended Casric’s remarkable run after earlier eliminating Orlando Pirates, Mthombeni was quick to stress that the league campaign remains the club’s biggest focus.
“We can’t be too excited about going to the semi-final,” Mthombeni said after the match. “Our objective is one – we must go back and focus on our league race.
“We play Tuks on Wednesday and that game is like a cup final for us. The league is bigger than the trophy for us because we want promotion.”
Casric’s victory came in difficult conditions in Durban, with strong winds making it a challenging contest. Mthombeni admitted AmaZulu dominated possession for long periods but praised his players for executing the tactical plan.
“AmaZulu were better in possession, but our plan was to come here and suffer a little bit, defend well and look for the goal,” he explained.
“We knew if we stayed organised and managed their wingbacks going forward, we would get our chances. The boys followed the plan.”
Casric could even have wrapped up the game earlier, according to their coach, after creating opportunities in the first half.
“I think we created another chance where if we were calmer we could have scored again,” Mthombeni said. “If we had gone into half-time two goals up, the game would have been easier to wrap up.”
Instead, the match stretched to 120 minutes, leaving several players exhausted as they battled cramps by the end of the contest.
Mthombeni admitted the extended match made squad management even more important ahead of their return to league action this week. Casric were in fourth place ahead of the latest round of league matches, three points off the top spot with a game in hand.
“This game stretched to 120 minutes and some of the players were cramping,” he said. “So now we have to rotate the team and manage the players because the league games are very important.”
Despite downplaying the cup run, Mthombeni acknowledged the value the exposure of competing against top-flight opposition can bring to both the club and its players.
“These matches help the players grow and market themselves,” he said. “When you play against big teams on live TV, it shows that our players also belong at that level. It also helps the club attract sponsors because we are a team that is surviving on a very small budget.”
Ultimately, however, Mthombeni believes the true measure of Casric’s progress will be whether they can translate their cup success into a strong finish in the Championship.
“We must not celebrate too much,” he said. “Football is a long journey and what we have done now is already in the past. Now we must go back, focus on the next game and fight for promotion.”