We need to take it step by step: Hadebe December 8, 2009 AmaZulu’s disappointing loss to Ajax in the first round in front of uncompromising supporters at Chatsworth Stadium prompted then Ajax coach Mushin Eturgral to claim that despite his team winning 1-0, his side’s display was his ‘worst ever in his coaching career’.

Come Wednesday the Cape Town side will meet a far more confident AmaZulu side at the Boland Stadium after a run of positive results for Neil Tovey’s side.

Perhaps it has been a case of changing horses before midstream, but according to dynamite left winger, Sbu ‘Mpasha’ Hadebe the team’s style of play has remained the same from what it was during the first few games of the season.

“We are taking it one game at a time obviously the momentum needs to be maintained but we need to take it step by step”, said Hadebe.

At the top on the log, gradully the destination of where the prestigious crown of ABSA Championship is headed is starting to reveal itself.

The bottom table is far from decided and teams that began the season on a high like Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United have had an indifferent campaign, while AmaZulu’s gradual improvement in terms of results is seeing the team slowly climbing the league table.

“We are conceding fewer goals than before and the difference now is that the defence is starting to gel and we’ve all gotten to know each other’s strengths,” explains Hadebe.

The former Tuks man and his former teammate at Pretoria University, Marc van Heerden, have both been launchers of most of AmaZulu’s attacks and have both regularly been voted man of the match.

“Me and Marc have a good understanding. Playing alongside someone who is able to support you when you go forward makes it easy for you, when he joins the attack I know I have to help him even in defending”, said the 22 year old Standerton born Hadebe.

It will be a team effort which AmaZulu will be needing in order to come away from the Cape with three points.

“We won’t be in anyway intimidated by their crowd, in fact if we attack them on the onset they will be under pressure from their own crowd. Our record away looks better than our home record, so we are not concerned.

“If we play the kind of football we have been playing lately we won’t be intimidated by them, “said Hadebe.

Whether it be in Chatsworth, Ulundi or Moses Mabhida, Usuthu know the stakes have just gotten higher, whoever they face they need to fight to regain their respect.

Hadebe’s performance could be key for AmaZulu and come Wednesday he says he will be ready to meet the challenge posed by national under-20 team attacker Thulani Serero, a player he describes as ‘the rock’ in the Urban Warriors’ game.