Kaizer Chiefs skipper, Itumeleng Khune, believes in a simple two-part strategy to overcome AmaZulu in the MTN8 semi-final first-leg at FNB Stadium on Sunday, but stresses their execution of the plan will determine whether Amakhosi can take a big step towards ending their trophy drought.

The man who will lead Amakhosi into battle says: “What is most important is to score as many goals as we can and, obviously, to keep a clean sheet because it’s our home game and we don’t want to give AmaZulu a hope, or opportunity to get any advantage in the first-leg, so it’s important that we score and don’t concede, especially playing at home."

“Our approach will be to attack as much as we can, take the game to the opposition and stop them from entering our 18-yard area," the Chiefs skipper added.

AmaZulu's attacking prowess is well documented, but Khune remains confident his rear guard can cope with the threat.

The experienced goalkeeper, who has seen it all in a long career, insists the key to keeping Usuthu at bay is to remain alert at all times.

“We know how lethal they are up front. They’ve got three top class players that are goal-hungry, so for us it’s going to take a lot of concentration throughout the 90 minutes and to stay switched on for the whole match,” he says.

“That will be our approach to making sure that we don’t even give them a thought of coming to FNB and getting a goal. Even in our league game against them, we dealt with them very well so I doubt that the coach will change the approach. We must also ensure we don’t give away set-plays near the 18-yard box because they are lethal even when it comes to that," Khune said ahead of the clash.

Victory in the home leg will give Chiefs a golden opportunity to get closer to winning silverware and to finally achieve glory for the Amakhosi faithful after such a long wait, and the players are up for the challenge.

“We are 100% ready,’ declares Khune, “I think we have been looking forward to this match from even before the Macufe game. A lot of us are excited about the fixture and we are hungry to go out there and win the match."

“We want to break that ‘curse’ of not having won a trophy for the past seven years, so for us it’s motivation on its own that we have a chance of going all the way to the final. It’s all up to us, in how we are going to take the opportunities we create because in the league we’ve had a lot of box entries but we haven’t been able to convert. Now, it’s a cup competition – two-legged – so we just have to make sure we do ourselves a favour and win home and away.”

The MTN8 semi-final first-leg kicks off at the FNB Stadium at 15:30 on Sunday afternoon.

All Amakhosi fans are encouraged to go out and support the team.

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