No Motivation Needed In Usuthu Ranks March 5, 2010 With a top eight berth up for grabs, coach Neil Tovey won’t have to be concerned about motivating his troops for the match against SuperSport United on Saturday.

The final PSL fixture of the season for Usuthu takes place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium – kick off is at 15H30.

The match offers the KZN side an outside chance of sealing a top eight finish and therefore a place in next season’s lucrative MTN8 Cup.

They will however need to secure victory over the league champions, and also hope that Cosmos can defeat Moroka Swallows.

Swallows are three points clear of AmaZulu, therefore a draw in either game would end their chances of a top eight finish.

Usuthu Technical Director Clive Barker says that the high stakes in this game, and a good run of recent form, will lift the players ahead of this fixture.

"Its an important game, a very important game, without a doubt we need to get into the top 8. The AmaZulu players are hugely motivated and we have won three and drawn one out of five games.

“I am very respectful off Supersport United and Gavin Hunt - he has done a great job with his team and he could well be the next Bafana Bafana coach," said Barker.

Team manager James Dlamini says, "The AmaZulu fans know we will always stay committed and motivated, the guys have been looking very positive by doing well at training and in friendly games.

We're hoping that they do well – the player want to close the season on a good notel for our supporters by saying thank you with a victory.

Victory is also important for when we resume next season. Particularly the strikers will remain an area of concern for us, but for now we will take it step by step. The guys now understand the coach but for we have to get done on the weekend".

Thabo Mabaso and Sbusiso Hadebe come back from injury whilst Kampamba Chintu is suspended.

What they are saying in the media:

Captain Pere Ariweriyai

“This is an extremely important game, not only for us, but for other teams as well – it could decide the fate of Swallows.

“We need to go out there and keep a clean sheet against SuperSport, then we will be giving ourselves a chance.

“But our hopes of finishing in the top eight are slim, and its not in our hands anymore. Even if we do our job it might not be enough… at the end of the day it will be in God’s hands.”

SuperSport skipper Bongani Khumalo

“I haven’t been training with the team this week, but I know Gavin, and he will want nothing less than a win.

“Gavin wants to reach that 60 point target he set (the Tshwane side currently have 57 points) – despite winning the league he still wants to achieve the goal he set out for the team, so there will be no letting up from our side,” he told SuperSoccer.co.za.