"We are playing a wounded team", explains AmaZulu boss Arthur Zwane ahead of Stellenbosch tie

Usuthu have not beaten the Cape winelands club in their last seven encounters across all competitions and went down to Stellies this season in the MTN8 quarter-finals.

While Zwane's side have started the new Betway Premiership campaign with two wins from their opening five games to sit in seventh place on the standings, Stellies are down in 13th with just one win, but they did make it to the final of the MTN8, where they ultimately lost to Orlando Pirates.

Speaking ahead of the midweek fixture, Zwane said in the Sowetan: "I think, if my memory serves well, for the past six games we've not beaten them. I will say ever since I have been here there is only one game where they outplayed us, exposed us, and that was the only game they deserved to win [0-5 defeat in January].

"If I look at the stats, the last six games we've not beaten them, that says a lot. We want to continue winning our home games, taking into consideration that we are playing a team that is wounded."

Zwane added: “They lost to Pirates, where they ran out of steam in extra time. They are coming to us wounded and want to turn things around and we have to be ready for that and take advantage of playing at home.”