The MTN8 Cup gets the new Premier Soccer League (PSL) 2020/21 season ball rolling this weekend. The top eight finishers of the last season face-off in the elimination quarterfinals round from Saturday to Sunday.
Friday | October 16, 2020
The sale of Bidvest Wits Football Club towards the completion of last season marked an end of an era for one of the oldest clubs in Africa with 99 years of existence in the South African professional football scenery, just a year away from reaching a century.
That closure of one era in Johannesburg ushered the beginning of a new one in Thohoyandou. Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) Football Club acquired the Wits top-flight football status.
As such, they owe their existence in the premier league to Wits going under the hammer.
TTM are launching their maiden game at elite level with a cup tie this weekend. Although it will be a welcome with so much at stake, it will be a fascinating test with no effect on their stay in the highest level of domestic football.
Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila host SuperSport United in the do-or-die MTN8 elimination stage at Thohoyandou Stadium in Thohoyandou on Saturday Oct. 17.
Kick off for this afternoon cup clash is at 15:00.
While TTM may well be accustomed to Super Sport United style of play, they may prove a tricky draw given their none-existent record at this level.
Still, TTM will be facing the current holders of the MTN8 Cup. This is a tough match for them. Having won the 2019/20 edition, the Pretoria-based club [Super Sport United] will be all out in full force to defend their throne.
Orlando Pirates vs Cape Town City (CTC)
In the second MTN8 Cup tie of the day, CTC are going to be fighting it out in Soweto at Orlando Stadium with Pirates in a night (18:00) encounter.
There were not much competitive pre-season matches (if any) going on for players and coaches before this cup competition. Moreso because of the Covid-19 mandatory regulations. This season is way too different from the previous ones.
To that end, for coaches on either side MTN8 Cup is more of a trial and error for most of the new players bought to see how they fit in the mold and how, also, they complement each other. The same applies to some technical sides of the clubs and/or coaches.
Having said that, winning, it goes without emphasis, is paramount for all participating clubs. On the flip side however, MTN8 Cup has no second bite at the cherry during the quarterfinals phase. A team that loses bombs out of the competition.
Sunday MTN8 Fixtures
On Sunday Oct. 18, highly rated Gavin Hunt will marshall the Soweto giants [Kaizer Chiefs] in his first game at the helm in Johannesburg.
Chiefs will square up with Maritzburg United at FNB Stadium at 15:00. This will be the third fixture of the weekend in the MTN8.
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Bloemfontein Celtic
A duel to settle the scores will be staged in Pretoria when Sundowns welcome Celtic to wrap up the MTN8 Cup weekend at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Attridgeville.
The kick off for this last MTN8 quarterfinal match of the weekend will be at 18:00.
Last month Sundowns narrowly defeated Celtic in a cup match that the former needed badly to complete the treble to crystalise their successful 2019/20 season.