Can Pirates pull it off?
LONG SEASON COMES TO AN END IN DURBAN TODAY
Underdone Pirates have a tough task against SuperSport.
The Premier Soccer League season finally gets its grandstand finish tonight, as Orlando Pirates take on SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
It has been exactly four weeks since the Absa Premiership drew to a close, with the bizarrely-long space in between caused by the PSL’s apparent change of heart in rushing to get the league finished by the end of May.
It is a gap that cannot have helped Pirates, who have not played a meaningful game since they lost to Golden Arrows on May 27. SuperSport would have been favourites today anyway, given their victory over Pirates in last year’s Nedbank Cup final, and the superior Premiership season that Stuart Baxter’s side have put together.
But they do look to have even more of an edge given Pirates’ inactivity and the fact that they have been competing regularly over the past few weeks in the Caf Confederation Cup.
“We have to be mentally ready, focused and up for the challenge. It is going to be a tough game for both teams, but we have been active so that gives us an edge over them,” admitted SuperSport midfielder Mandla Masango this week.
“We have to use it to our advantage, we have to pick up where we left off against Mazembe.” Matsatsantsa drew 0-0 at home to the DR Congo giants on Tuesday night.
“It was good preparation leading into the Pirates game.”
Pirates’ Abbubaker Mobara, however, did not seem too concerned about the Buccaneers’ lack of game-time.
Mobara has played in between, as part of Stuart Baxter’s Bafana Bafana side that lost a friendly 2-1 to Zambia. And he has been impressed with the spirit in the Pirates camp since his return.
“I saw a lot more than just an Orlando Pirates team from this past season, but I saw a Pirates team that I always used to play against, a team that wants to win. If we carry on like this until Saturday then we stand a good chance of winning the game,” he said.
Pirates will certainly be desperate to add some silverware to a disappointing season, where they finished outside the top eight in the league.
SuperSport will also have a motivation to win outside of this simply being a cup final – this is Baxter’s last game in charge before he takes on the Bafana job on a full-time basis.
Just over a year ago in Polokwane, SuperSport and Pirates also met in the Nedbank Cup final, and it was Matsatsantsa who emerged victorious after a thrilling match. Eric Tinkler’s Buccaneers took a 12th-minute lead through Luvuyo Memela, but that just spurred Stuart Baxter’s SuperSport into action. Jeremy Brockie powered home an equaliser two minutes later, and Bradley Grobler and Michael Boxall had the Tshwane side 3-1 up by half-time. A Clayton Daniels own-goal early in the second half put the game back in the mix, but SuperSport held on to give Baxter a trophy just months after joining the club. Until this match, it had been a nearly-but-not season for the Buccaneers, with three cup finals reached in the first half of the season, but none won. Defeats to Platinum Stars in the finals of the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout, and to Al-Ahly in the final of the Caf Champions League, ultimately led to the resignation of Roger de Sa. Vladimir Vermezovic was appointed in February 2014, and succeeded where De Sa had not, though it didn’t look likely in Durban as Gavin Hunt’s Wits took a first-half lead through Jabulani Shongwe. Kermit Erasmus’ deflected shot after the break, however, put Pirates right back in it. Sifiso Myeni put Bucs in front just after the hour mark, but refusing to celebrate against his former club, and Erasmus’ second set the seal on the win. Vermezovic, however, had resigned by December. This Nedbank Cup was memorable for an amazing run by National First Division side Tuks all the way to the final, including beating Kaizer Chiefs 4-3 in an incredible last-16 clash. It was a tournament that brought to the fore the skills of Mthokozisi Yende and Phenyo Mongala, who went on to play for Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates respectively, with limited success. After Chiefs, Tuks beat Bloemfontein Celtic and Ajax Cape Town on the way to the final, but lost to Julio Leal’s Moroka Swallows, who won the match through a first-half strike from little-known Brazilian Vinicius da Silva (above). The first Nedbank Cup final saw a David and Goliath encounter between the National First Division’s MP Black Aces and the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns. Aces put up an impressive fight, but the Tshwane giants’ class told late on when Lerato Chabangu (right) scored the only goal with a stunning volley. Chabangu’s strike, three minutes from time, was the only goal Kenny Ndlazi’s Aces had conceded in the whole competition. For Trott Moloto’s Downs, this win added to the Super 8 title won at the start of the season and provided further consolation after they finished well off the pace in the league. Stuart Baxter’s Amakhosi completed a league and cup double in the Scotsman’s first season in charge at Naturena, though it took until extra time for them to beat Gavin Hunt’s SuperSport. Bernard Parker (left) provided the decisive moment, beating Ronwen Williams in the 94th minute with a precise shot for his 14th goal of an excellent season. It was Chiefs’ first South African FA Cup since 2006, coming just after they had also ended an eight-year wait for a league title. Chiefs’ cup success, much like with their league title, was built on the back of a superb defence.