No rest for cup finalists

Just 72 hours after contesting the MTN 8 final‚ both winners Cape Town City and losing finalists SuperSport United will be back in action.

But there will be drastic changes to their line-ups for Tuesday night’s league matches.

Benni McCarthy will have defender Taariq Fielies back from suspension and Bradley Ralani returning from injury.

McCarthy said he would give Matthew Rusike and Teko Modise a start against Bidvest Wits at the Cape Town Stadium (kick-off 7.30pm) as he rests players from Saturday’s final in Durban‚ where the cup was only decided after two hours of football as City won on penalties.

Fielies will come in for Kouassi Kouadja after the Ivory Coast defender hurt his knee and limped out of the final. Kaitano Tembo said he would also shuffle his line-up for SuperSport’s trip to meet Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Tembo had his players in for training on Sunday after the final‚ “for recuperation and to see who would be fit”‚ he said.

On Monday, they were on the bus again‚ heading for Polokwane‚ with many weary bodies.

SuperSport saw Fagrie Lakay depart before half-time of Saturday’s final with a hamstring injury and Evans Rusike suffer a second-half knock on the ankle.

Clayton Daniels also had a hamstring problem, although he finished the match.

Bradley Grobler‚ who came on near the end of extra time‚ might start after his recent groin-injury problems.

The likes of Richard Boateng‚ Morgan Gould‚ Phumlani Ntshangase and Ghampani Lungu could also get a rare opportunity in the starting lineup. /