Kaizer Chiefs forward Dumisani Zuma believes this weekend’s Nedbank Cup clash with Richards Bay FC is the perfect opportunity to bounce back from their derby defeat by Orlando Pirates, but insists it will be difficult to play against a team that they don’t know much about.

The Glamour Boys are set to host the GladAfrica Championship outfit at the FNB Stadium on Sunday evening (5pm) as they begin their 2021 Nedbank Cup campaign.

Chiefs have began to turn things around since the start of the new year and saw a five-match unbeaten run ended by Pirates in their last game.

Zuma, though, believes the clash with the lower-league side is a big opportunity to ensure a quick response while it also affords hope to those in the squad that have not enjoyed regular game time of late.

‘I think it’s a good chance for us, since we lost our last game, to bounce back. So, I think it’s also going to be good for the players that are not playing, maybe they’ll get a chance to play,’ Zuma told the club’s media team.

‘I’d say it’s very difficult to play against such teams because we don’t have a lot of information that we know about them, so I think we need to stick to our philosophy and play to win.’

The 25-year-old himself has not enjoyed regular action of late but explained that fitness has been his achilles heel, and with games coming in quick succession he has stressed the need to remain disciplined on and off the field.

‘I’m still not like fully fit but I think it’s a work in a progress, eventually I’ll be fit enough to play regularly,’ he added.

‘I’d say it’s a tricky time for us, since we’re playing games thick and fast, and I think it’s going to be key for us to maintain discipline, recovery so that we can be able to battle all the games.’