WeeklySA_AdminTHE ONE: Mouth-watering clashes kick-start much-awaited Premiership 2021/22 season
By Ali Mphaki
Soccer fans are sharpening their appetites ahead of a mouth-watering DStv Premiership kickoff with the MTN 8 quarterfinals next weekend a sumptuous starter to what promises to be a sweet and sour 2021/22 season.
The football gods could not have prepared a better dish to serve football starved local fans, what with archrivals Orlando Pirates crossing forks with Swallows FC, while the reimagined Kaiser Chiefs to engage in a life and death “knife” battle against their obdurate foe, the seemingly invincible Mamelodi Sundowns.,
Both games penciled for 3pm Saturday. With the clock slowly ticking towards kickoff time, tongues are wagging and excitement is slowly reaching fever pitch as fans engage on who will win the original Soweto derby taking place at Pirates home ground at the Orlando stadium.
Adding intrigue to this encounter is that Pirates are the defending MTN 8 title holders, while the “kings of draws” Swallows FC can be as unpredictable as the weather.
As the defending mentor, pressure is undoubtedly on the Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer, who in his collective wisdom with his technical team has to ensure that his charges emerge victorious.
The German coach Zinnbauer knows full well that nothing short of a victory will appease the hard to please hordes of Bucs supporters, a section of which wants to see the back of him.
Resplendent in their sky blue new kit, supposedly to represent the energy of the youth in the team, Pirates were lackluster when they lost on penalties to Chiefs in last weekend’s Carling Cup final.
That there was no score for 90 minutes of that encounter no wonder one cynic observed that “Pirates play like they are scoring on the sides”.
News from the Swallows FC camp is that coach Brandon Truter is having a “nice” problem what that his whole entourage, including newcomers, boasting a clean bill of health and with none of his players serving suspensions.
Truter’s side has also been bolstered by the signing of “flopped” former Pirates winger Austin Muwowo, who if given a chance will want to prove a point against the Amabhakabhaka.
As for Pirates’ noisy neighbours Kaizer Chiefs, corky after clinching the Carling Black Label cup, indications are that their bubble seems destined to be burst by the marauding Sundowns in the early kick off of 3pm at the Lucas Moripe stadium in Soshanguve.
“Returned soldier’ Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter will do well to forget the 4-1 loss he suffered at the hands of Sundowns in his first domestic game for Chiefs those many years ago in 2012.
Baxter’s latest return to Chiefs, the third time a coach returned to Amakhosi in different seasons, did not start well with him on the bench when Chiefs lost to Ah Ahly in the CAF Champions League final in Casablanca, Morocco, last month.
While it is obvious the Chiefs family are enamoured with Baxter, sentiments will be on the back seat as the long suffering Amakhosi fans look up to him to effect a much needed change in their fortunes going forwards.
The new “CBD” at Chiefs comprising Leonardo Castro, Khama Billiat, and Keagan Dolly, albeit now of a matured age, will have to bring their “A” game and valuable experience to see the Naturena side ascend the podium to clinch another title and bring back those glory days to the club.
Coastland fans have not been left out of the MTN 8 showdown, with KZN side Amazulu sniffing gloves with Cape Town City. Last season surprise side Lamontville Golden Arrows will also be in action against SuperSport United.
Both games scheduled for 6pm.
Cup games by their nature are unpredictable and the impossible can be possible.
What is not in debate, however, is that when the referees blow their final whistle come early evening next Saturday, some fans will have to eat their humble pies while others will have their tables overflowing in front of the eyes of their enemies. This is it!
