Having made a sensational comeback from injury to score the winning goal barely a minute after coming off the bench in Tuesday’s 1-0 Betway Premiership victory over Magesi, Ashely Du Preez now turns his attention to Saturday’s crucial Nedbank Cup quarterfinal against his former club, Stellenbosch FC, at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Gqeberha.

Speaking exclusively to www.kaizerchiefs.com, the 27-year-old expresses his satisfaction with the outcome of his return to first-team duty.

“Getting onto the field after coming back from injury and scoring the winning goal and the three points is exceptional, and I am very happy,” he says, “Injuries are part of the game but it’s a question of how you bounce back, and I am just delighted and relieved to be fit again.”

The striker is relishing the opportunity of playing against the team from which he was signed by Chiefs in 2022, commenting, “It’s always nice to play against a former team. There’s a familiarity with their structures and the way they play. Going into a cup game is a very different approach from a league match. We have to get a positive result on the day so we are going out to win and get through to the semifinals.”

There is a quiet confidence within the Amakhosi camp that this could be the year they end their trophy drought, although Du Preez insists they are not looking too far into the future.

“We take one step at a time. Obviously, we haven’t won a trophy for some time and our intention is to go all the way to the final and win that. For now though, our focus is 100 percent on beating Stellenbosch and nothing else,” he says.

The widely held view in domestic football circles is that the Nedbank Cup holds the only possibility of success, with the league title seemingly out of reach at this stage.

“I can see that,” Du Preez opines, “which is why we are extra focused on this weekend’s match because it’s our only realistic chance of winning silverware. This is a very important game in the context of our season. Our preparation has been good and we are mindful that there’s no second chance in knockout competition.”

The unwavering support and patience shown by the Amakhosi Faithful this season has been noticeable, and they have been a huge source of inspiration to the players. And Du Preez is hoping for another big turnout of fans on the weekend.

“It will really benefit us to see a big crowd of Chiefs fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium. They have been giving us great support all season, even though difficult times, and we will need them on Saturday. As players and management, we want to win, but just as important, we are going out there to give our amazing supporters something to celebrate,” he concludes.