Cape Town City have to find the krag to pick themselves back up at Maritzburg United in the PSL on Friday night (8pm).
It’s been a bittersweet and energy-sapping week for the Citizens.
After winning the MTN8 on Saturday after going all the way to penalties, they came crashing back to earth with a defeat to Wits on Tuesday night.
That 2-0 loss to the Clever Boys was made even worse by a Simon Murray dive for an eighth-minute penalty, from which coach Benni McCarthy’s much-changed side never recovered.
To top that all off, results in the league went so badly for them that they now find themselves just above the relegation zone – down in 14th place.
And the only way to avoid a sad Fifa break and keep that gees from winning the first piece of silverware of the season is to beat their KZN hosts.
City have only one league win to show after seven matches and with six points, they are 10 points off the top of the table.
Benni will be looking to bring back his heroes from Saturday’s win over SuperSport United after making eight changes for the game against Wits.
After a tough lesson from the Students on Tuesday, he said: “For me, I will probably have to look in the mirror because changing the team completely backfired on me.
“Maybe I was a bit naive to make so many changes and expect the same level of performance.
“In hindsight, perhaps I should have trusted my gut and played with more or less the same team as in the cup final.”
He added: “It’s back to the drawing board for us now. No rest again. And Maritzburg, so ja.”
With a win desperately needed, rightback Thami Mkhize must come back and hopefully, senior centreback Taariq Fielies has recovered from the hamstring problem that troubled him at the end of the Wits defeat.
Midfield workhorses Thabo Nodada, boosted by a maiden Bafana Bafana call-up this week, and Roland Putsche also have to return to the centre of the park in what is expected to be a tough battle at Maritzburg.
The Team of Choice are one log position above them, also on six points. But with a game in hand, they can cut the Cape side adrift with a win.
Weekend PSL fixtures
Saturday
Free State Stars v Bloem Celtic (3.30pm), Kaizer Chiefs v Polokwane City (6pm), Highlands Park v Chippa United (8.15pm), AmaZulu v Orlando Pirates (8.15pm)
Sunday
Baroka v SuperSport United (3.30pm), Mamelodi Sundowns v Wits (3.30pm), Golden Arrows v Black Leopards (3.30pm).
Wednesday night’s PSL results
Chippa United 1 Free State Stars 0, Orlando Pirates 0 Golden Arrows 0, Black Leopards 1 Baroka 0, Bloem Celtic 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 0.