Casric Stars FC coach Bucs Mthombeni has revealed what worked in their favour as they continued their fairy-tale run in the Nedbank Cup, eliminating Betway Premiership side AmaZulu FC with a hard-fought 2-1 victory after extra time on Saturday.
The Nedbank Cup quarter-final match between Casric and AmaZulu took place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The Motsepe Foundation Championship side showed tactical discipline, knocking out Usuthu away from home, proving why this tournament is called the “Cup of Dreams”.
Casric’s giant-killing run started with Orlando Pirates, when they defeated the Soweto giants 5-4 in a penalty shootout in the Nedbank Cup Round of 16 last month at the Orlando Amtsel Arena.
The Mpumalanga-based side became the first team to qualify for this year’s Nedbank Cup semi-finals, and will find out who they will face when the PSL conducts the semi-finals draw on Monday, 9 March 2026.
WHAT BUCS MTHOMBENI SAID AFTER DUMPING AMAZULU FC OUT OF NEDBANK CUP
Reflecting on the hard-fought victory, Mthombeni conceded that while AmaZulu controlled both possession and territory, it was his side’s grit that secured the result. He noted that their willingness to “suffer” without the ball proved to be the defining factor in Casric Stars’ historic triumph.
He went on to praise coach Arthur Zwane, acknowledging that the KZN side forced Casric to retreat for the majority of the match.
“We were up against a very formidable side, and Arthur Zwane is an exceptional coach. In terms of build-up play and box entries, they were certainly the better team,” Mthombeni told SuperSport TV. “But I was adamant about sticking to our game plan. We came here prepared to ‘suffer’ because we knew our status as the underdogs.
“The most important factor was my belief in what these boys are capable of. At half-time, I told them we needed to inject more energy. We struggled in the first half, but around the 70th minute, I reminded them that AmaZulu had played on Wednesday. I gambled on the fact that they wouldn’t be able to cover the whole pitch for 90 minutes. We started rotating the ball, and with the tactical changes I made, I knew exactly what I was looking for.
“Despite a few mistakes where I had to urge the players to stay calm and focused, I knew that if we could just take the game into extra time or penalties, my job was effectively done.”
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