Ntuthuko Maphumulo soccer
Just two Bob Save Super Bowl quarterfinals will take place this weekend, with Kaizer Chiefs’ and Orlando Pirates’ games postponed so their players and officials can attend the funerals of the 43 victims of the Ellis Park stampede.
Santos will face Maritzburg City on Saturday and Sundowns will face Manning Rangers at Loftus on Sunday. Sundowns must beat Rangers if they harbour any hopes of a league and cup double at the end of the season. “Brazilians” PRO Alex Shakoane says: “The team is currently playing its best football and to win the Bob Save will be a bonus.”
Sundowns have been involved in many cup games and have the quality of players to win, but the team will be without coach Paul Dolezar who seems to have disappeared and assistant coach Neil Tovey will be in charge.
Rangers will be looking for victory to take supporters’ attention away from their league position, which sees the former champions looking at the axe in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Santos led the PSL log not long ago but have fallen back and will be looking to beat Maritzburg City to get a shot at the R1,5-million winners’ prize as consolation.
The teams that have reached the quarterfinals are there by merit, therefore nothing should be taken away from Maritzburg City the only team from the MTN league to make it to the last eight.
City general manager Senzo Msimang says: “The team is prepared for the game and supporters should expect fireworks.”
The other quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday night and are expected to be real crackers. The game between Orlando Pirates and Moroka Swallows is billed as the second-biggest derby in the country after the Pirates-Chiefs rivalry, but it is a tale of two clubs suffering vastly different fortunes this season. Pirates are looking to take all the available money and cups at the end of the season, while Swallows face league relegation. The match will be played at FNB at 8pm and supporters of both teams are expected to come in numbers.
The other match will be between Kaizer Chiefs, recovering after the shocking incident at Ellis Park, and Bloemfontein Celtic, another team with relegation woes. Bloemfontein Celtic will be looking to punish Chiefs after they refused to give back Daniel Matsau, who is always warming the bench, but if statistics are anything to go by Chiefs will sail through the match at the Free State rugby stadium.