Andrew Muchineripi laments the fact that you can’t watch soccer in a cosy stadium
It is a sad reflection on the people who inhabit our beautiful land that a soccer club cannot host a Bob Save Super Bowl match because the risk of crowd disturbance is too high.
SuperSport United were drawn to play Orlando Pirates at home, which happens to be the Caledonian Stadium on the edge of central Pretoria, in a second-round tie this Saturday.
But fears of crowd trouble led a Bob Save cup committee consisting of leading Premier Soccer League (PSL) personnel to alter the venue to Odi Stadium, a much bigger ground in Mabopane township, north-west of Pretoria.
Caledonian Stadium can accommodate only 5E000 spectators and PSL security chief David Thidiela believes up to 15E000 will want to watch one of the most attractive last-16 clashes.
PSL representative Andrew Dipela said if the match went ahead at Caledonian Stadium and there was crowd trouble, the media would be extremely quick to criticise his organisation.
This humble member of the Muchineripi clan has no argument with those sentiments because the protection of human life must come first when resolving any venue dispute.
What makes me angry, though, is South African soccer supporters are so indisciplined that the PSL dare not stage an all-ticket cup tie and SuperSport must forfeit the precious advantage of playing at home.
Thidiela bemoaned that the PSL cannot imitate their English counterparts and stage cup ties at any venue because the public attitude toward policing in the countries is vastly different, with no prizes for guessing where it stinks.
I would prefer to watch the cup tie at a packed Caledonian Stadium than at Odi Stadium, where many empty seats and a less vibrant atmosphere are inevitable.
While not dismissing the prospect of a SuperSport victory at Odi, I am convinced that their chances of reaching the quarter- finals have receded with the venue switch.
SuperSport know every blade of grass at Caledonian Stadium, which is one of the most homely and intimate PSL venues, and when they met Pirates there in the Castle Premiership it took a Dumisa Ngobe thunderbolt to beat them.
The PSL correctly say that matches between Pirates and SuperSport are invariably close, heightening possible tension during a cup tie.
The Buccaneers must win to keep alive their hopes of lifting a domestic trophy this season.
Pirates were eliminated by arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs at the semi-finals stage of the Rothmans Cup and trail leaders Chiefs by 15 points with only eight rounds of the Premiership left.
SuperSport, whose best-known player is player/assistant coach Thomas Madigage, have been on a roll since the mid-season break, winning six matches and drawing two.
Much of the credit for this must go to consistent scorers Glenn Salmon and Tauya Murewa. Salmon, who joins Dutch club NAC Breda at the end of the season, is a national under-23 squad member.
Murewa comes from Zimbabwe, where he played for leading Harare club Dynamos. Known as the Flying Doctor because he is a medical student, Murewa spent some time with Cape club Hellenic before switching to Pretoria.
It may seem harsh to criticise Pirates, given that they have scored 16 goals in matches against Olympics (Bob Save), Hellenic (Premiership) and Botswana Defence Force (African Cup Winners Cup).
The Buccaneers did not overly impress against a listless, amateurish defence force team, however, with poor finishing once again providing headaches for coach Victor Bondarenko.
It is not that Pirates fail to score more often, rather poor technique leading to shots that should at least be on target rather than flying high or well wide.
Perhaps more energy needs to be expended on the training ground.
Expect Pirates to squeeze through to the last eight where they would have home advantage against First Division club Ria Stars or Amazulu, who meet at the Pietersburg Stadium on Sunday.
A weekend of Bob Save action kicks off on Friday evening at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, where 1998 semi-finalists Seven Stars host treble-seeking Kaizer Chiefs.
The Amakhosi have collected the Rothmans Cup, the Premiership title is within sight as they lead Sundowns by one point and have an easier run-in, and they are good enough to win the Bob Save, too.
Other Saturday fixtures pit QwaQwa Stars against Moroka Swallows and Manning Rangers against Santos while Bush Bucks entertain Sundowns, Phoenix City are at home to Wits University and Bloemfontein Young Tigers host Madidi Cosmos on Sunday.