The Motsepe Foundation Championship side currently occupies eighth place in the 2024/25 league standings, with six victories from their first 18 matches.
They secured a spot in the last 16 with a 3-0 win over Umvoti in the round of 32 and will head into Saturday’s clash following a tough 1-1 league draw against the University of Pretoria.
Ahead of this weekend’s match, Hlongwane highlighted Baroka’s ambition to prove their worth, as they continue to target a return to the top flight after their relegation in the 2021/22 season.
He also pointed to the motivation of their famous 2018 victory over Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knockout final.
Hlongwane said in the Citizen: “We spoke about it (the 2028 win), we addressed it to the players. We looked at the personalities that were there and what we could take from that. Those guys were willing to die for each other, they were willing to make a mark for themselves.
“If you look at all the players, it changes the status of their careers and their families and the badge which is the club. So, it is not only about us, it is about how well we want to be remembered.
“We heard the cries of the chairman [Khurishi Mphahlele] and our supporters, they want this team to be in the Premiership and to do well in this cup and gain momentum. So, we have to go into this match with a positive mindset and strong mentality.”
Hlongwane added: “The most important thing in football is how you prepare. If you look at Pirates and us we have similarities in terms of playing structure.
“It’s who wants it the most on the day. If you look at Baroka and Pirates, they have this history, the Telkom Knockout. And there was another match where we stole it in the dying minutes, so there is that history between the two clubs it’s all about who wants it the most.
“The cup games are all about who starts on the front foot. If you go to Orlando and give yourself that chance in terms of matching them for the efforts, with the right attitude and right mentality. Working hard as a team and suffering as a group, I think anything is possible.”
