Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos players will compete for a big Christmas bonus when they meet in the Coca-Cola Cup final at the FNB stadium on Saturday. The teams are already guaranteed R1-million each for reaching the final and they will be playing for the additional R1-million that goes to the winners.
It has been 12 years since Cosmos picked up any silverware — and the last time they did so, in the 1990 Bob Save Super Bowl, they were relegated at the end of the season.
But Jomo Sono’s team is a totally different proposition now, with a pool of good players who are thirsting for success. This time Cosmos have a lethal weapon in young Malawian striker Essau Kanyenda, whose predatory instincts have brought him four goals so far in the competition.
The 20-year-old Kanyenda, known to his fans as ”Black Mamba”, strikes fear into the hearts of most defences — but Chiefs captain and goalkeeper Brian Baloyi is not fazed.
”Kanyenda is a good player and the presently best striker in the country but this does not make me fear him,” said the man they call ”Spiderman”.
The Black Mamba has not only been a menace in the Coke Cup but also in the Premier Soccer League, where he has scored six goals.
As a result Sono has been inundated with calls from European clubs seeking the services of the youngster. But the canny owner/manager has so far rejected foreign overtures and told Kanyenda to concentrate on Cosmos until the end of the season.
The Black Mamba’s combination of vision, touch and the ability to hold up the ball under pressure and draw opponents could help his free- scoring strike partner Manuel ”Tico Tico” Bucuane notch up his first goal in the cup.
Sono in fact has an embarrassment of riches up front, with Lebohang Kukame and Bucuane hoping to join the festivities at FNB stadium.
Cosmos, however, do not have fond memories of Soccer City, the venue where they lost 0-5 to the same black and gold jerseys in the final last season.
Kanyenda will look to his classy midfield of Dikgang Mabalane, Tebogo Mokoena, Maimane Phiri and Bamuza Sono to provide those splitting defence passes.
If the lure of R2 million to be shared among the Cosmos players if they win is not enough motivation, Kanyenda and his teammates could be trying to change Sono’s outlook on soccer management.
The former national coach might be persuaded that winning cup trophies is a lucrative alternative to buying youngsters and selling them at a profit a couple of seasons later.
This hectic player trading has hindered the club’s progress in both league and cups as the team seldom has a time to gel as a unit.
Cosmos team manager Kwezi Masondo was upbeat about their chances: ”We are ready to take on Chiefs physically and psychologically.”
Chiefs themselves seem to have a new lease on life since coach Muhsin Ertugral has been pushed to the sidelines. Current assistant coaches Doctor Khumalo and Ace Khuse have brought their young players some much-needed motivation.
There is now a definite sense that Chiefs have run themselves back into something resembling form and this could give Cosmos a few headaches.
Even new striker David Radebe seems to have found his feet after scoring his first Chiefs goal last week.
The good news for fans of the Soweto giants is that Jabu Pule, who was player of the tournament last season before his career hit drug- related snags, seems to have regained some of his previous excellent form.
Captain Baloyi did not mince his words when he said: ”Chiefs must win the cup final as this is the most exciting competition in the league.”