It will be an unlikely scenario at Green Point stadium on Wednesday night when Moroka Swallows carry the torch for the dimmed fortunes of Soweto’s glamour clubs as they face Ajax Cape Town in the last of the Telkom Knockout quarterfinals.
With Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs already eliminated from the tournament, which boasts a record R4,25-million winners’ prize, the last of what was once considered ”the Big Three” will be out to stem an indifferent season by swooping into the semifinals.
And as in the case of many of his ilk at this moment, Swallows coach Gavin Hunt might be relieved to be performing away from home, where supporters have been baying for his blood after recent defeats.
In a desperate exhortation to the Birds’ fans, Hunt is, in fact, imploring them to ”stand by” the team on an occasion when their support could make all the difference in a game that could go either way.
And Birds’ supporters away from the club’s Soweto nest are indeed often more tolerant and accommodating towards the club when in crisis and could rally to Hunt’s calling.
To a lesser degree than Chiefs, Pirates and probably Mamelodi Sundowns as well, Swallows are usually able to boast a greater following for games in Cape Town than the home team.
And with Hunt himself a long-time Cape resident before moving to Gauteng to coach Black Leopards and then Swallows, ”home from home” might well prove a soothing setting for the Swallows coach.
But much will depend on what sort of line-up Hunt sends on to the pitch against a youthful Ajax combination brimming with enthusiasm.
Although the promising Aubrey Mathibe has not done badly at all in goal since superceding Greg Etafia, it is questionable whether Swallows will be better served on an occasion of this nature leaving the talented and experienced Nigerian on the bench.
And with left-back Bjorn Gugger out through suspension, Swallows surely cannot afford to dispense with the services of Lovers Mohlala.
The expected return of Cecil Oerson will likely add some much-needed verve and enterprise to the Swallows attack, but the dip in form of Senegalese striker Mame Niang has probably provided the Birds with their biggest headache this season.
And with the absence of accomplished strikers, an additional burden has been placed on the potentially exciting midfield of Oerson, Lefa Tsutsulupa, Mark Haskins and Tsweu Mokoro.
Ajax coach Muhsin Ertugral has the experienced Hans Vonk back in contention after injury and he will have to decide whether to leave out an in-form Andre Petim in favour of the experience of the former Bafana Bafana number one.
And, in a final analysis, it is quite conceivable that the performances of the respective goalkeepers might be the telling factor in the outcome — no matter which of the four contenders are eventually chosen by the two coaches. — Sapa