Golden Arrows eager to make their mark in Carling Knockout

The two teams are no strangers to each other, having shared the spoils in a goalless draw in their opening Betway Premiership fixture of the 2026/27 campaign.

Dladla expects another closely contested encounter against a Chippa side that is comfortable in possession, but believes his players have what it takes to secure passage to the next round.

"A very tough game to play; they are a ball-playing team under coach 'Brakkies' [Brandon Truter], my friend. We also know that they want to go through, but for us, we are playing at home. That should show from the first minute that we are the home team and that we are a team that has been doing well in cup competitions. We just want to win this game and proceed to the next stage," said Dladla.

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Golden Arrows will also be looking to build on their encouraging performances in domestic knockout competitions over the past year.

Abafana Bes’thende reached the quarterfinals of last season’s Nedbank Cup and progressed to the semifinals of the Carling Knockout, before suffering an MTN8 exit at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns earlier this season.

Dladla believes those performances have given his squad the confidence to compete for silverware, adding that a successful cup campaign can also provide valuable momentum in their Betway Premiership fixtures.

Meanwhile, Golden Arrows will turn their attention back to league action following the three-week FIFA international break, with a KwaZulu-Natal derby against newly promoted Milford FC awaiting them.

Dladla says the extended break provided an opportunity to address some of the shortcomings in their performances, particularly their inability to make the most of goalscoring opportunities.

The Arrows mentor believes improving their finishing will be crucial as they look to turn promising attacking displays into positive results in both league and cup competitions.