Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy insists that his side have to be well prepared and structured when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup on Sunday, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.

The Citizens will travel to the Mbombela Stadium where they will face Amakhosi in the quarter-final of the competition, with both sides eager to book their place in the semi-final of the competition.

City made their way into this stage of the competition after making light work of Highlands Park, who they beat 3-0 in the previous round, while Chiefs progressed after claiming a 3-0 win in extra time against The Magic FC.

‘The tougher the opponents you play, the more you raise your game to a level where you’re better than them,’ Benni told the media.

‘We faced [Kaizer] Chiefs twice this season and the contrast of the performance in the first game was exceptional, but we got killed 4-1 and they came away with all three points at Cape Town Stadium.

‘Then we went to the FNB [Stadium], we weren’t the best and it wasn’t a performance we were proud of, but we played football,’ he added. ‘Second half we played much better and we came out with all three points, so there is contrast to our performances.’

The City mentor added that they cannot count Chiefs out of the running for the Absa Premiership title, as they stand an equal chance of snatching the title at the end of the season.

‘I think for this game, it is a cup game and we just got to be well prepared, because we know Chiefs and this game might change their season around,’ Benni said.

‘Out of the Nedbank, I don’t know how people can rule them out for the league [title] because I think they have as much of a chance as anybody else.

‘But the Nedbank is probably their biggest opportunity, because there is no Pirates, no Sundowns, a lot of the stronger teams are already out and it’s only us, Chiefs, Wits, Bloem Celtic, Arrows and Chippa, who have got a big opportunity.’

Cape Town City against Kaizer Chiefs kicks off at 3pm.