Cup final looms large for Chiefs in busy week
Downs’ Dolly already back in SA for Durban clash
IT’S a big week for Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa’s most popular and best supported football club. On Wednesday, Chiefs have a date with Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban (kick-off 6pm). And then on Saturday, the Soweto giants take on log-leaders Wits in a PSL fixture at the Cape Town Stadium (kickoff 6pm).
It’s the first of three “home” fixtures that the Amakhosi will play in the Mother City. In the other two, they face Platinum Stars (January 24) and SuperSport United (February 20).
Chiefs’ marketing and promotional campaign has gone into overdrive as they make good on a promise to take their team and brand to cities and venues across the country.
The Gauteng club has already done so successfully in Limpopo, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
The big promotional drive also has its roots in trying to overcome the negative perception surrounding Chiefs’ Cape Town trip – because their incursion into the Mother City has certainly been met with resistance.
Many local Cape clubs have voiced their opposition to Chiefs’ latest marketing move, especially given the fact that the City of Cape Town offers very little support and assistance to teams who reside in the Mother City. And yet, the red carpet has been rolled out to Chiefs…
Be that as it may, though, the exercise has been given the goahead – and, no doubt, the Chiefs faithful will turn out in the thousands to see their heroes.
“My thoughts on the Chiefs trip hasn’t changed,” said Ajax Cape Town chief executive Ari Efstathiou.
“We remember that, when the initial furore broke out, it was said (that) the City would not be paying Chiefs anything… but we now know that Chiefs will be getting R750 000 per game. We still believe the City has gone about it in the wrong way, but it must do what it wants to.
“We just think the City should be backing teams who reside in the Cape rather than giving its support to teams from outside our city.”
But while Chiefs will be eager to start their Cape adventure this weekend, there is however, an important Cup final to negotiate before then. And, make no mistake, their opponents Sundowns, are fired up and prepared.
Already, Sundowns have made sure that star SA Under-23 midfielder Keagan Dolly is on his way back home. While the rest of the U23s will only arrive in South Africa tonight, Dolly was already back in the country last night.
Dolly spent a few hours celebrating with his U23 teammates after a 3-1 penalty shootout win over Senegal ensured qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics, but was on a plane back home in the early hours of yesterday morning.
“All I need to do right now is to focus on the Telkom Knockout final with my club,” said Dolly.
“I am so excited because it’s the first Cup final in my PSL career.
“The last time I missed the Nedbank Cup final (with Ajax CT), but this time around, I hope I get the chance to play… I want to contribute to lifting another trophy for Sundowns and getting a gold medal.”