Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
When a team is hanging on to the slenderest of leads in a two-leg cup tie and has conceded an away goal, the last place in South Africa they want to go is the Independence Stadium in Umtata.
The Eastern Cape ground is not going to be a contender when – hopefully – a list is drawn up in two years of South African venues to stage the 2006 World Cup tournament.
It is a typical rural venue with open stands, a crowd capacity far lower than many media reports might suggest, and a pitch that is not exactly billiard-table smooth.
What the stadium does provide is an electric atmosphere when packed and the voltage is going to soar this weekend when Kaizer Chiefs come to town for an intriguing showdown with Bush Bucks.
The confrontation will determine whether Imbalabala or Amakhosi advance to the semifinals of the multimillion-rand Rothmans Cup, the richest domestic knockout event in Africa.
Chiefs won only 2-1 in the first leg of a quarterfinal tie that was not expected to overtax the Gauteng giants with Neil Tovey (penalty) and Marc Batchelor scoring before George Mathiba reduced arrears.
The fact that the Mathiba volley was voted goal of the week by the SABC show World of Soccer ahead of a superb overhead kick from Dumisa Ngobe of Orlando Pirates, speaks volumes for the strike.
As the ball dropped in front of the former Real Rovers striker, about 30m from goal and left of the posts, he struck it first time over Brian Baloyi into the net.
Goal of the week? Goal of the month or goal of the season are more likely accolades for a footballer who has not exactly set the veld on fire since making the long journey south from Pietersburg to Umtata.
Bucks have managed less than a goal a game in Castle Premiership and Rothmans Cup fixtures – 11 in 12 – and defender Abram Lethebe and striker Patrick Mayo are the only players to score more than once.
Balancing a lack of punch in front of goal is a solid defence, marshalled by Bafana Bafana squad member Frank Schoeman and goalkeeper Gerald Wagner, that has kept six clean sheets.
Under the away-goal rule, a 1-0 win for Bucks would take them through to the semi-finals and a minimum R300E000 prize money, and Zambian coach Jani Simulambo faces a tactical dilemma.
Does he opt for a defensive approach, hoping to snatch a breakaway goal, or take the game to Chiefs and risk conceding the goal that will cancel the advantage achieved at Ellis Park.
Chiefs coach Paul Dolezar is under pressure whenever and wherever the black and gold perform and failure to reach the last four – especially with arch-rivals Orlando Pirates virtually through – could trigger another mini crisis.
The diminutive Yugoslav with a French accent thicker than coarse-cut breakfast marmalade can gain confidence from an impressive away record of three wins, two draws and a loss to Premiership surprise packets Bloemfontein Celtic.
It must also be comforting to know that leading striker Pollen Ndlanya has scored seven times in eight games and the much-maligned Batchelor possesses a happy knack of snatching significant goals.
While the Bucks-Chiefs clash looks the pick of the weekend programme, much attention will focus on Athlone Stadium in Cape Town where potential giantkillers Seven Stars host Manning Rangers on level terms.
Former Sundowns and Bafana Bafana striker Bennett Masinga cancelled an early Mxolisi Mchunu goal in Durban, setting the stage for a titantic struggle between two clubs difficult to break down.
Nyanga-based Stars reached the Bob Save Super Bowl semifinals last season under the guidance of Gavin Hunt, and the ex-Hellenic player obviously has a liking for cup glory.
Fresh from the First Division, Stars won home and away against expensively- assembled Amazulu in a Rothmans Cup preliminary tie and upset Cape Town Spurs by winning at home and drawing away.
Sundowns, Premiership and Super Bowl winners last year and Rothmans Cup runners-up, are seeking their fifth consecutive win over Wits University when they attempt to build on a 1-0 first-leg lead with home advantage.
While the word “banker” should be used with extreme caution when referring to any cup competition, surely Pirates cannot fail to eliminate Jomo Cosmos after establishing a 4-0 first-leg lead on enemy territory.
ENDS