Polokwane City FC midfielder Manuel Kambala has addressed the team’s poor start to the season, acknowledging full awareness within the squad while insisting positive results are urgently needed starting with the Carling Knockout Cup.
Rise and Shine will host Siwelele FC in the Carling Knockout Cup Last 16 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday evening with kick-off set for 18:00 CAT.
The Limpopo side heads into the crucial fixture on the back of a disappointing run in the Betway Premiership, which includes a 1-0 defeat to the same Siwelele outfit last Sunday.
However, despite Polokwane City’s recent slump, the experienced Mozambican international is adamant that the dressing room possesses both the awareness and capability needed to trigger an immediate response on the pitch.
“We all know [what has gone wrong], but we still have quality in the group,” Kambala told journalists at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday.
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“We still have all those qualities. As you know, the new players are trying to adjust, and some of those who were injured are coming back, but that’s no excuse—we have to prove ourselves on the field.
“Besides that, I think we are strong. Even with players who left, we trust the squad we have here, and I believe our coach [Willy Moloto] trusts us too. So it’s on us to step up, get results, and lift this team. We all know our responsibility in this [Carling Knockout] Cup, and Saturday is a absolute must-win for us.”
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Having suffered defeat against Siwelele FC just last weekend, the 35-year-old views Saturday’s cup clash as the ideal opportunity for Polokwane City to exact swift revenge.
“It is our opportunity, and I don’t know if we are lucky or not, but we know the opponent that we are facing; we can beat them. We proved so many times that we can beat Siwelele.
“So, we’ll do everything so that we can go to the next stage. Like you said, yes, it will be the first time [to win the cup], and it will be great. So, what I can say is we are ready for this game; we are ready to go to the next stage.”
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