Pitso Dladla confident unorthodox cup run will favour Durban City in final

The Citizens face Galaxy at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night, having reached the showpiece in unconventional fashion. 

Durban City advanced through the earlier rounds without scoring from open play, eliminating Chippa United, Upington City and Golden Arrows via penalty shootouts, before benefiting from an own goal to edge past Casric Stars in the semifinals.

Dladla says the unusual route has tested the squad’s mentality and resilience.

"If you look at all the rounds we have played, our character has been tested as a team, and we have been able to emerge victorious. We've been involved in penalty shoot-outs; three times we managed to go through," said Dladla .

READ: Durban City aim to end KZN drought in Nedbank Cup final

"And also we've been involved in games where we had to play NFD teams and also where we had to play Lamontville Golden Arrows with a man down, we played more than 40 minutes with one man down, and we managed to win that game."

"So that tells you that our character as a team has been tested differently in different rounds, and that has prepared us very well going into the final."

Dladla also argued that recent form counted for very little going into a cup final when asked if he was concerned about City’s four-game winless run in the Betway Premiership, in which they lost three of those matches. 

The coach was pressed to comment on goalkeeper Darren Keet being in the running for the Player of the Tournament considering all the clean sheets.

Dladla added that a cup final for Durban City meant an opportunity for the KZN province as well as a rare chance for the squad to win silverware ahead of the country’s most prominent clubs who were eliminated early.