Richards Bay coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi has fired the first warning shot at SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt ahead of their Nedbank Cup showdown.
The Natal Rich Boyz will play host to Matsatsantsa at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday in a round of 16 showdown. Both Richards Bay and SuperSport are not in a great vein of form and will be eager to secure qualification into the next round, as well as boost their confidence.
This tie also pits Vilakazi and Hunt against each other for the fourth time this season over various competitions. The last time the pair collided was in December when Vilakazi grabbed his only win in the DStv Premiership while at Richards Bay.
‘Kanu’ spoke to members of the media on Tuesday while his side pressed on with preparations in Richards Bay. He expressed that he expected Hunt to be full of worry ahead of their confrontation, given his recent spate of results against him.
“I know it’s not going to be an easy one, considering that we’ve already beaten them 3-1 the last time we played them,” he said.
“Also when you look at the head-to-head between myself and the coach, he is very much unfortunate because in my last game when I resigned at Golden Arrows, I beat him 3-1. When I went to Chippa, I beat him 1-0 …
“So, obviously he would be very concerned that he’s facing me again.”
Vilakazi has won two, drawn one and lost three of the six matches he’s been in charge of in all competitions so far with Richards Bay.
The 41-year-old mentor has seen his side refreshed with a dynamic approach since taking over but has struggled for the necessary consistency required to elevate them beyond the relegation zone of the league.
The Rich Boyz occupy 15th place in the standings and are in danger of being overtaken by bottom-placed Cape Town Spurs, who have had a terrific 2024 so far. Vilakazi detailed how he and his team would look to utilise the Nedbank Cup not only as a means to collect silverware, but also to make up for their failings.
“The objectives going into this match are not only to advance to the next stage but also for us to fix the challenges that we think we have at the moment as well,” he said.
“We need to make sure we fine-tune out attack and make sure that we’re converting chances into goals and a little bit of luck to score goals because we are playing well.”