“We have to sweat to reach the semifinals," Erick ‘Tower' Mathoho predicts ahead of this afternoon’s Telkom Knockout match against Free State Stars.

“We must fight to go through as no opponent can be taken lightly.”

This quarterfinal game is scheduled to take place at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday, 6 November (kick-off is at 15:00).

“PSL teams are no longer far apart in terms of strength,” the Kaizer Chiefs defender explains. “We can't underestimate any opponent. Stars are a good team and we will give them the respect they deserve.”

Looking at the preparations for the Stars encounter, Mathoho comments, “we have prepared well. We realise that this is a once off chance to pave the way to the next round.”

Tower and his back-row partners have commanded seven clean sheets in a row, an achievement that coach Steve Komphela has attributed to teamwork.

Mathoho concurs with the Amakhosi mentor: “We communicate well as a team. The midfield and strikers do their job too, as defending starts with the strikers. We are united in all departments. We must just get the ball in the net, because that’s the missing link at the moment.”

There’s a united voice from the Amakhosi camp of appreciation for the support the team has been getting in Durban. “Our supporters have been marvellous,” the Chiefs defender says. “We are aware that we need to match their enormous support with a fine performance.”

Chiefs has travelled to Durban with more or less the same squad that played to a goalless draw against Baroka FC on Wednesday, with Lucky Baloyi, Enocent Mkhabela, George Maluleka and Keagan Buchanan battling it out for the number 8 position. Coach Komphela termed this contest for places in the middle of the park “a nice headache”.

Tickets will be sold at the People's Park near Moses Mabhida Stadium before the match. The main point of ticket sales, however, remains Ticketpro outlets found at CNA, Jet Mart, Jet and Edgars.