Baroka in it for Limpopo
The province badly needs a winner
Baroka are eager to put Limpopo on the map with a successful run in the Telkom Knockout.
Bakgaga are set to take on the defending TKO champions Bidvest Wits at the Peter Mokaba Stadium this afternoon, at 3pm.
Dynamos were the last Limpopo club to win a cup competition in 1991 when they clinched the John Player Special Knockout Cup.
Since then it has been nothing but near-misses for clubs from the northern-most province. Black Leopards were the last to reach a final in 2011, but they lost to Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup.
Their coach, Wedson Nyirenda, knows very well what it would mean for the Polokwane-based outfit to reach the R4m cup final.
“I know it would mean a lot to the people of Limpopo for us to make it all the way in this cup competition,” Nyirenda said.
“We know that we have their support and it would mean a lot for us to achieve something great like this.”
The nature of cup games requires teams to be prepared for any eventuality, including the prospect of a penalty shootout.
Baroka’s first choice goalkeeper, Elvis Chipezeze, wants to lead his team to a maiden cup final. “I am told that this is the first time in the history of the club that we will be playing in a semifinal,” he said.
“So we are excited about playing at this stage. It’s a good feeling in the squad at the moment but we are not thinking about the final yet. We first have to get over this hurdle of the semis first.”
Meanwhile, Wits coach Gavin Hunt is wary that his opponents may be hungrier in the cup clash.
“The team we are playing against is not going to win the league so the cup is their chance to win a trophy,” Hunt said.