New AmaZulu coach Neil Tovey needed a "pick me up" after the death of defender Jan Masoeng Sillo earlier this week and it has come in the form of three extra players being available for Sunday's clash with Golden Arrows in the MTN8 semi-final, first leg at Chatsworth Stadium.
This gives the former Bafana Bafana skipper a healthy selection dilemma at a time when he needs to urge his men to put Sillo's death behind them and get on with business.
Sibusiso Hadebe, who was signed from Thanda Royals in the off-season, is ready to play his first game for Usuthu after recovering from an ankle injury, while fellow midfielder Ntokozo Sikhakane returns from a groin strain which kept him out of the club's 2-2 stalemate with Wits last Sunday.
In addition, Zambian defender Kampamba Chintu is ready to play his first match under Tovey. AmaZulu initially opted to wait for Chintu to become a naturalised South African after his many years in this country, to open up another foreign berth in the squad, but they decided to register him as a foreigner again this week rather than risk him missing more matches while waiting for the naturalisation to be processed.
"Yes, I face a healthy selection dilemma this week and there will be changes to the team. It's a nice situation to be in, aside from the death of Sillo," said Tovey.
"To win this match, we need to defend better than we have so far. Arrows are a dangerous side, but we are also confident of our own ability. We haven't reached our peak yet and I don't think they have, either."
Critically, strikers Dumisani Ngwenya and Brad Ritson will want to come good on Sunday after it was left to a midfielder and defender, Bafo Biyela and Pere Ariweriyai respectively, to earn AmaZulu a point against Wits in the league encounter.
Arrows will have Philani Shange back from suspension on Sunday and what augurs well for them is they have not conceded a goal in their first two matches of the season.
But club chairman Mato Madlala nevertheless called for striker Richard Henyekane and company to improve their forward play to bolster the team's bid for the first prize.
Meanwhile, new Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral is quietly confident they can score another major upset when the Urban Warriors face holders Kaizer Chiefs in their first leg at Newlands tomorrow night, according to Sapa.
Ajax defeated Orlando Pirates in the first round of the competition last week.
Ertugral, who won the competition last season with Chiefs, said: "Winning the trophy twice in a row would be something special and winning it with Ajax would be a dream come true."