Bulldogs captain Sibusiso Lali has called on his teammates to double their effort while eliminating silly mistakes when they welcome SWD Eagles in an SA Cup clash at The Cove event and sports venue on the Nahoon Dam Road on Saturday (3.30pm).
The match will be the second for the teams after losing their season openers, with the Eagles going down 28-26 to the Pumas and the Bulldogs losing 36-17 to the Griffons in Welkom.
While Bulldogs were underdogs playing away, Lali insisted his side could have won the game with better concentration and by minimising silly mistakes.
“We felt like we were very much in the game, and had we stuck to the basics, we could have won that game,” he said. “The boys know it, and I think they were proud of their overall performance, especially in the first game of the season.”
The Bulldogs were playing for the first time after assembling a youthful squad from clubs in the region, and Lali said they took time to gel as a team.
“It is one thing to train and participate in friendly matches here and there, but quite another when you have to put that in a match situation. I think we needed that to get the match mentality, which is why we came back very strong in the second half, but by that time they had already won the game.”
The mood in Bulldogs training sessions this week was bubbly, with the players giving their all while coach Dumisani Mhani barked instructions, focusing on polishing the errors to ensure they would be ready for their first game at home.
Mhani sounded confident of finally breaking the jinx of not having won a game since the competition started in 2024.
Though the team finished at the bottom of the log in both previous editions, Mhani was confident that would change this season, despite admitting that it was one of the toughest, judging by the first round of matches.
“I think teams have fortified their squads with good signings, making this season one of the toughest, but we will keep fighting because we also recruited well,” he said.
Lali said the players had already put last weekend’s loss behind them and were looking forward to atoning for it, with the partisan crowd expected to give them added motivation.
“Home games are good for the psyche of the players and we must ensure that we use our chances to the best of our abilities. As you can see, the boys are in high spirits and are raring to go.”
After playing in sweltering conditions in Welkom, Mhani said competing in mild temperatures in KuGompo City would go a long way in helping their cause.
Despite the physicality of the Griffons, the Bulldogs did not suffer many injuries, with only minor knocks to some of the players: “Just a few brushes here and there, but we will know for sure before compiling the team list.”
Daily Dispatch