Great chance for lesser-known clubs
Get set for a load of entertaining matches this weekend, including the Carling Knockout semi-finals and a range of English Premier League clashes. TAB is adding to the excitement with three Soccer 10 carryovers through the weekend plus a Soccer 13 Xtra carryover. There are also guaranteed Soccer 13 pools, so it’s an ideal time to take a soccer bet with TAB.
It’s not the glitzy line-up that the sponsors might have hoped for, but this weekend’s Carling Knockout semi-finals present a marvellous opportunity for a couple of clubs to break through barriers and create some history.
None more so that Richards Bay and Stellenbosch, who have never been to a major final, while AmaZulu last won a cup trophy more than 30 years ago. TS Galaxy have one previous success to their credit - in the 2019 Nedbank Cup final, in which they became the only second-tier team to win a major trophy by beating Kaizer Chiefs.
Both semis are in Durban at the weekend with Richards Bay hosting Stellenbosch on Saturday at Umlazi and then AmaZulu taking on Galaxy at the Moses Mabhida Stadium 24 hours later.
Richards Bay have had a horror year in which they have won only four of 32 games played, tumbling down from second place in the DStv Premiership standings at the start of 2023 to narrowly avoiding relegation. They sit second from bottom this season, but will be buoyed by having eliminated Orlando Pirates in the quarter-finals, albeit on post-match penalties, and then holding them to another goalless draw last Saturday.
Stellenbosch had to play a league match on Tuesday night against Cape Town Spurs and will be playing their third game in seven days against Richards Bay. That puts them at a disadvantage in terms of freshness, but their confidence will be sky high after beating AmaZulu away last Saturday.
AmaZulu got to the final of the MTN8 last year, but their last trophy win was in 1992 in the Coca-Cola Cup, a forerunner to the current Carling Knockout.
Losing to Stellenbosch was, perhaps, because their eye was off the ball and it was their first setback in the six games.
Galaxy had a comprehensive victory at home over Polokwane City last Sunday, but on the road their form is markedly different. They have not won an away game since February, when they beat AmaZulu 2-1 at Moses Mabhida.
There are no PSL games this weekend because of the two semi-finals, but South Africa’s three representatives in African club competitions continue their respective campaigns. Sundowns are playing in African Champions League, while Sekhukhune United and SuperSport United are playing in the African Confederation Cup.
Sundowns handed newcomers Nouadhibou from Mauritania a rude welcome to the group phase of the continent’s top club competition last Sunday and now travel to Lubumbashi on Saturday to take on TP Mazembe.
SuperSport are at home for their second game in Group A against defending champions USM Alger on Sunday and Sekhukhune host Congo’s Diables Noirs in Polokwane later the same day. The South African sides look capable of winning all three clashes.
HIRED/FIRED: Walter Mazzarri, who previously managed Napoli from 2009 to 2013 and won the 2012 Coppa Italia, has come to take over again at the Italian champions after they fired Frenchman Rudi Garcia.