Benni McCarthy has named the player who is likely to replace Kermit Erasmus in their upcoming cup match, should it be that the former Orlando Pirates striker is still not yet ready to last 90 minutes.
Having signed for Cape Town City in December, Erasmus has been working on regaining his match fitness, with McCarthy gradually and carefully introducing him into his line-ups for the team's matches.
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So far this year, the diminutive forward has started in two of City's matches and came on as a substitute in the other two during the team's Absa Premiership campaign.
With City set to host Highlands Park in their Nedbank Cup Last 16 match on Friday, McCarthy has confirmed that Siphelele Mthembu, who is on his way back from injury, is the player likely to replace Erasmus.
"Having Shaka (Mthembu) back… (he's) been able to train yesterday (Tuesday) and today (Wednesday), adding to the numbers and just beefing our squad up even a little bit more now, we don't have to worry that Kermit won't be able to maybe go and last 90 minutes. We've got a suitable replacement for Kermit in the likes of Shaka coming back from injury," McCarthy told the media in a press conference this week.
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Mthembu, who picked up an injury during City's league match against Kaizer Chiefs on January 30, missed the Cape side's match against AmaZulu last weekend.
Erasmus, who started the match, had his penalty kick saved by AmaZulu goalkeeper Siyabonga Mbatha as McCarthy's side lost 1-0 KwaZulu-Natal.
"I think Shaka would love to pick up from where he left off from finding himself in very unique situation, where he's not been before in his career. You know, he can fight to become the top goal-scorer. Every goal counts, so every competition doesn't matter. He needs to work up his goal tally and Highlands Park is the perfect opposition to start, and not that we're thinking about revenge (after City's 2-0 loss in the league at the Makhulong Stadium in December)," added McCarthy.
