Pirates and Celtic tune up for final
CUP, league and continental games are said to be different challenges but Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic will know that wins in their respective outings this weekend might serve as a morale booster ahead of their clash next weekend.
Pirates and Celtic will battle for cup honours and R8-million in prize money when they square off in the MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on December 12 (6.30pm kick-off).
This will be coach Josef Zinnbauer’s first final since taking charge at Pirates a year and two days ago.
That he’s on the cusp of ending the club’s six-year trophy drought should further endear himself to "the Ghost", after proving his detractors wrong.
In his first six months in charge, Zinnbauer rescued the club from the bottom half of the standings. He instilled confidence into the team as they finished third.
With the team strengthened during the transfer window, Pirates were set up to succeed from the outset. And they didn't disappoint as they mopped the floor with rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Wafa Wafa competition semi-finals.
Their league campaign hasn’t been too shabby either. They are undefeated after two wins and three draws. But with Cape Town City next on their agenda away, the Bucs will need to come out guns blazing.
They'll recall that two seasons ago in their pursuit of the league title they stuttered in the last stretch, largely because of a 2-2 draw with the Citizens at Athlone Stadium.
Already the Citizens have defeated Celtic 4-2 post their MTN8 semi-finals 2-1 aggregate win over outgoing champions SuperSport United at home. So, Pirates will be complacent in Stellenbosch at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off) at their peril.
Meanwhile, after an impressive start in their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round, where they defeated AS Maniema Union 2-0 in the first leg away, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Celtic will be out to consolidate their advantage.
Celtic welcome Maniema to the City of Roses on Saturday at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium (3.30pm kick-off) knowing a draw will be enough to see them through to the next round. But coach John Maduka will know the importance of three a win.
Not only will victory see them into the next round in their first continental outing in more than 50 years in style, but it will serve as a boost ahead of their second successive cup final in two months. Celtic lost the Nedbank Cup final to Mamelodi Sundowns. But should they bag their first trophy in eight years, that will not only restore their confidence but ease some of the financial woes the club has faced recently.