In spite of a head-on collision with bitter rivals Jomo Cosmos, the Kaizer Chiefs management has decided to continue a ”home from home” policy and will play their Coca-Cola Cup quarterfinal at Rustenburg’s Olympia Park next Sunday.
This was revealed on Friday when the Premier Soccer League announced dates and venues for the quarterfinals, with other games scheduled on Wednesday and next Saturday.
Chiefs, winners of the Coca-Cola Cup on three occasions since its inception four seasons ago, have been involved in an acrimonious war of words with Cosmos in recent weeks following comments by Amakhosi chairperson Kaizer Motaung about hard-tackling central defender Andrew Rabutla.
Motaung suggested Rabutla should be banned from soccer because of his uncompromising tactics and tackling.
The Cosmos player responded by saying his life and that of his family was in jeopardy because of the provocative comments made by the Chiefs chairperson.
”I have lost respect for him,” retorted Rabutla.
This is only the latest skirmish in which Chiefs’ Motaung and Cosmos owner Jomo Sono have squared up after feuding and fighting for much of their distinguished soccer careers.
A repeat of the high-voltage SAA Supa8 semifinal between Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic will have an encore at Ellis Park in a night game next Saturday. Santos play last year’s beaten finalists, Supersport United, at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town in the afternoon.
The quarterfinal programme will also be launched at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night with a game between Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns — also a repeat of an early-season Supa8 game that was won by the Brazilians. — Sapa
Coca-Cola Cup quarterfinal games, dates and venues
Wednesday November 2: Ajax Cape Town vs Mamelodi Sundowns at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town (7.30pm).
Saturday November 5: Santos vs Supersport United at Athlone Stadium (3.15pm); Orlando Pirates vs Bloemfontein Celtic at Ellis Park (8.10pm).
Sunday November 6: Kaizer Chiefs vs Jomo Cosmos at Olympia Park, Rustenburg (3.15pm).