Yusuf Maart is looking to put last weekend’s setback against Sekhukhune United behind him and get the season back on track when Amakhosi visit Durban to face AmaZulu in a DStv Premiership encounter at Moses Mabhida stadium on Friday evening.

The talented midfielder wants to show that the disappointing result on the Club’s 53^rd birthday was merely a blip by turning out a much improved performance against Usuthu.

“We worked very hard during the December break and it showed in our first two games back,” he says. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way in the last game, but we are very keen to put that right against AmaZulu.”

The teams meet for the third time this season, having played once in the league and twice in the MTN8 semifinal. All three matches ended in draws, something Maart is acutely aware of.

“I said that to Ashley (Du Preez),” he notes with a big smile, “but he told me not to worry, he is positive. When we go there, we’ll win for sure.”

The departure of Njabulo Blom to St. Louis City in the American MLS has necessitated a slight positional adjustment for Maart as he forges a new understanding with prodigious young talent, Samkelo Zwane, in the Chiefs engine room.

Maart, though, has taken it in his stride, explaining, “At the end of the day I just need to work hard, as always. To have Zwane with me is good, because he’s learning what it takes to play at this level. I had a good partnership with Blom, but this is football and I need to be able to play with whomever is in the team. I think I’m clicking with everyone who is playing around me.”

Like Chiefs, AmaZulu are also going into the match off the back of a defeat and Maart is ready for a titanic battle for supremacy in Durban.

“They lost their last game and so did we. Both of us need the points, so we are going to have to want it more than them. Even though it is their home game, we are going to come with more effort and make sure we get the points,” he concludes.

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