Derby, Banyana delight
SPORT fans are in for what promises to be a thrilling weekend as the city hosts two high-profile events at its former Soccer World Cup 2010 venue.
The weekend kicks off with the Cape derby between Cape Town City and Ajax Cape Town at Cape Town Stadium (3.30pm) tomorrow.
It’s a rivalry that has captured the imagination of the country.
On Sunday, at the same venue, Banyana Banyana take on Sweden in an international friendly (2pm).
It’s the first time the national women’s football team has come to play in the Mother City.
Cape Town City Football Club boss John Comitis said they are expecting a bumper 20 000 crowd.
Banyana won the Cosafa Cup competition, with coach Desiree Ellis making history by becoming the first to win the event as a player and a coach. They were then named the CAF Women’s National Team of the Year, an indication of the tremendous strides they have made.
For the Banyana game on Sunday, entry is free, but tickets still have to be accessed via Computicket or any Shoprite, Checkers or Checkers Hyper.
THE Mother City derby between Cape Town City and Ajax Cape Town has not just captured the imagination of football followers in the Cape, it has the entire country salivating at its next chapter.
The two rivals meet at Cape Town Stadium tomorrow afternoon and, as always, there is so much to talk about. In short, since the formation of City as a PSL club, the derby is relevant again – the buzz is palpable and the anticipation at fever pitch.
In 2016, City’s arrival stoked local interest, the rise of the fledgling club was meteoric and they quickly dispatched of neighbours Ajax in both derbies in their debut season.
Last year, former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy took charge of City and his presence added even more fuel to fire up the continuing appeal of the Cape derby. And, as McCarthy did during his playing days, he made sure he emerged victorious in his first derby as coach.
Now, just to demonstrate that this is a rivalry that is never banal, as it constantly throws up twists and turns to make things fresh and interesting, the new man in charge at Ajax is Muhsin Ertugral. The well-travelled Turk’s presence at the Parow club is a bit of a surprise because he has, in the past, made no secret of his allegiance in the feud at the root of the enmity between City and Ajax.
City boss John Comitis is one of the founders of Ajax, but left to establish his own club after falling out with the current Ajax owners, the Efstathiou brothers. Ertugral, though, when he was in charge of Mpumalanga Black Aces in 2015, after his team had beaten Ajax, said in his post-match interview that he was dedicating the success to Comitis.
It was clear, at the time, which side of the fence the Turkish coach was sitting. Now, in an aboutturn, Ertugral and the Efstathious have made up, and he is coaching Ajax for the fourth time.
With Ajax already showing great improvement since the arrival of Ertugral, and with the Turk coming up against Comitis’s City in the Cape derby, we are all set for yet another explosive occasion.