In an intriguing Coca-Cola Cup final clash, the=20 Orlando Pirates attackers come up against the=20 unyielding Wits defenders
SOCCER: Nelson Rashava
CAN sheer skill overcome motivation, commitment and=20 perseverance on the big occasion? Will Orlando Pirates=20 regain their confidence and verve after a drab display=20 against Bloemfontein Celtic? Can underdogs Wits=20 University sustain their dominance over the big guns in=20 the cup competitions this year and win their second=20 trophy in five months?
These are the questions that many neutrals will be=20 asking when the 1995 Coca-Cola Cup final gets under way=20 at Soccer City on Saturday afternoon.
Champions Pirates slipped badly against relegation- threatened Bloemfontein Celtic in a league fixture at=20 the same venue last weekend. Complacency was blamed for=20 the 2-0 loss, but Celtic won after some shocking=20 defensive lapses by Bucs, with star defender Mark Fish=20 being the main culprit.
Centreback Bernard Lushozi also looked sluggish and=20 only left back Edward Motale was able to stamp his=20 authority on the game. Coach Mike Makaab will have to=20 juggle his line-up to find the best combination.=20
He will also need to find someone to enliven his=20 skilful but static midfield, which is sorely missing=20 the playmaking skills of John Moeti, who has left for=20
Up front, Bruce Ramokadi is one of the most promising=20 young players in the league and South African=20 international Helman Mkhalele has the potential to make=20 a name for himself playing alongside veteran Marks=20 Maponyane. But they are still finding it difficult to=20 score goals.
The students have a psychological advantage not to be=20 underestimated in these nerve-wracking affairs. Coach=20 John Lathan’s young charges have established themselves=20 as a difficult combination to down. Wits refused to=20 buckle when facing technically superior opponents and a=20 mighty following when they played Kaizer Chiefs in the=20 climax of the BP Top Eight Cup in March. Time and again=20 Chiefs’ tiny dribblers waltzed beyond a clustered Wits=20 defence and the students triumphed 2-0.
Wits showed their fighting spirit in the semi-final of=20 the current competition against the Amakhosi when they=20 fought back to equalise an early goal and went on to=20 win the tie on penalties. It was a resolute performance=20 so typical of the Witsies.
Defence will be their strength, as is their tradition.=20 Wits, employing the 3-5-2 playing system — which=20 ensures that they have the numbers to control the=20 midfield — will be difficult to score against.=20
National Under-23 goalkeeper Paul Evans is in great=20 form and utility defender Peter Gordon is rock solid.
Pirates have talent in abundance and possess fine=20 technique. Their opponents — who shocked the other=20 favourites, Cape Town Spurs, with a 1-0 win in Cape=20 Town — are a more consistent side over 90 minutes.
A “marathon” game seems to be on the cards and the=20 silver trophy which QwaQwa Stars went home with last=20 year is there for the taking.