SOCCER:Andrew Muchineripi
LAST season’s losing finalists Pretoria City (now Supersport United) are no more, but defending champions Cape Town Spurs should have little difficulty in advancing to the quarterfinals of the Bob Save Superbowl when they meet little known Tembisa-based first division side Classics, at the Athlone Stadium on Friday night.
There is little liklehood of the Cape side retaining their title this year, as most of last season’s double-winning squad has left the club for greener pastures, and though they have the committment, the skills might not be there for Sergio Dos Santos’s boys to go all the way this time round.
Gauteng-based sides usually struggle with the conditions at Athlone in night games, and if a side of the calibre of Pirates find it difficult to handle Spurs at night, then it will definitely not be a “Classic” evening for the minnows, who might just as well enjoy the trip to the coast.
In another game on Friday night, Wits host Jomo Cosmos in one of four all-Premier League clashes which take place over the next three days. A game between these two clubs has over the past few years always turned into a no-holds barred grudge match resulting in a niggling, robust contest.
Wits were the side to seal the fate of Cosmos in the final game of the season when Jomo Sono’s side were relegated at the end of the 1993 season. Wits, to make matters worse, have been finding it easier to score in their own net than their opponents’ this season, having scored three own goals in their last two games. Extra time, or even penalties, might be needed to separate the two sides, but one thing is certain – the soccer will be of a very high quality. Both games kick off at 8pm.
The “Beautiful Birds”, Moroka Swallows, will attempt to get their “train to the top” on its way on Saturday when they host Kaizer Chiefs at Ellis Park Stadium.
To add spice to the event, Walter Da Silva, the man fired by Swallows a few months ago, will be on the Chiefs bench, and there is little doubt he will want to show his former employers a thing or two.
In Saturday’s only other game, Vaal Professionals travel to Durban for a clash agaist local first division side Tongaat Crusaders, and on paper are favourites to reach the next round of the competition, just as they were last season before they played Port Elizabeth amateurs, Park United. We all know what happened then, as the outsiders ousted the Vaal Monsters, then defending champions, from the competition. It is unlikely that the same will happen tomorrow, but these days with all that is happening in soccer, you never know what could happen.
On the subject of Park United, they host Pietersburg outfit Real Rovers on Saturday, and look set to cause another major upset, depending of course on if the Rovers players are on strike or not. If they are (as they usually seem to be) then United could well be in the pound seats.
Having last week accounted for Sundowns, Qwa Qwa Stars are rubbing their hands in anticipation of the clash with Orlando Pirates, whom they host at their new home ground, the Northern Free State rugby stadium.
It was the Sea Robbers who embarrassed Peter Nyama’s boys in the BP Top 8 final at the beginning of the year, and Stars will no doubt be looking to turn the tables. And the way they played last weekend, they could well do that.
In another all-Premier League clash, AmaZulu host Bloemfontein Celtic, the side that last week beat them in a league game. For the Usuthu consistency does not seem to high on the agenda at the moment.
So trouble-plagued Celtic and Vasilli Sofiadeles, who scored the goals last time they met, could be on course for a double.
Former NSL first division side Santos will attempt to advance to the next round at the expense of Sundowns who are stll licking their wounds after their defeat last weekend to Stars. Nevertheless, they should advance to last eight.
All Saturday and Sunday games kick off at 3pm.