Durban - Bongi Ntuli wants to bite the hand that once fed him. Ntuli burst onto the scene when he was still at Lamontville Golden Arrows.
That's where Mamelodi Sundowns signed him from in 2014. He is currently on loan at AmaZulu.
Usuthu will take on Abafana Bes'thende at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi on December 22 in what promises to be a mouthwatering KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) derby.
Ntuli has set his sights on getting one over his former side.
"The derby means a lot to us. It is going to be our last game of the year. We want to end the year on a high note. We want to collect as many points as possible. We are looking forward to the derby and we want to win the game," Ntuli said..
Ntuli made a lot of friends during his stint with Arrows but that won't count on derby day.
"Arrows launched my career. We still talk with some of the players at Arrows but that doesn't count when we are at work. When we are at work we have to deliver for our respective teams. I had my time at Arrows and I'm now at AmaZulu," he added.
Ntuli has been very pivotal for Usuthu with his important strikes. He doesn't only score goals but keeps the opposition defence busy with his pace, physical strength and his never -say-die attitude. Ntuli wears his heart on his sleeve.
"If I score against Arrows I will definitely celebrate. I have to celebrate if I score. I always celebrate when I score. It doesn't matter who I'm playing against," Ntuli said.
The lanky marksman spent two years in the senior team at Arrows before making a career defining move to Sundowns in 2014. He scored 13 goals in 53 appearances for Abafana Bes'thende.
He will be out to find the net against Arrows though to help Usuthu fans go into Christmas and the New Year as KZN football kings.
"Arrows made me who I am. I started in their Under-19's and then I graduated in to the senior team. They helped me to showcase my talent in top flight football," Ntuli said.
"We are not on the good standing on the log. We sat down as players and spoke about our log position. We told ourselves that we need to give our all in each and every game that we play.
"We told ourselves that we will fight away from home the way we always fight when we are at home. That talk really paid dividends as we were able to collect six points against Highlands Park and Chippa United on the road. Each and every one for us is like a cup final." Ntuli said.
Match day experience for soccer fans: Kick For A Million
To build on the success of the competition from last season, Absa is once again changing many lives through the Kick for Million competition throughout the 2018/19 Absa Premiership season.
On match day, six fans are chosen ahead of the start of the game at the respective stadium to kick against an Absa Premiership legendary goalkeeper in a sudden death competition during halftime.
At the end of the contest, each runner-up will receive R1,000 and the winner of the round will take home R5,000.
The winner of the final round then automatically becomes a finalist to Kick for a Million at the trophy handover match at the end of the season in May 2019.
In the build-up to Saturday's KZN derby, Absa will host roadshows in Umlazi on Thursday, December 20 at Mega City Mall from 1pm to 5pm and Friday, December 21 at Eyadini Lounge from 3pm – 5pm.
And on match day, Absa will be bringing fans the ultimate match day experience through the Woza Nazo Absa Red Zone, where over a 1 000 soccer fans will get access to an exclusive area where there will be entertainment, food, refreshments and Woza Nazo merchandise ahead of the match.
The Absa Red Zone will be located on the outer field at King Zwelithini stadium, and open from 12pm until 2.30pm on December 22.
* This article was published in partnership with Absa.