Sunday | October 18, 2020
The beginning of the season is always a fascinating prospect because of all the deals which were made during the pre-season break. All the clubs are starting from a clean slate with ambitions as lofty as ever. The introduction of the new signings make these 2020/21 Premier Soccer League (PSL) launching matches all the more attractive. The who is who of football along with many supporters of these game of games rub their palms in anticipation with infectious glee.
On Saturday, the first two matches of the 2020/21 MTN8 Cup quarterfinals produced six (6) thrilling goals.
Today at 15:00, Kaizer Chiefs welcome Maritzburg United in the MTN8 Cup at FNB Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg (Jhb).
While Maritzburg will enjoy the familiar flow of continuity under the leadership of coach Eric Tinkler, Chiefs will be guided by Gavin Hunt, the new mentor in town. Naturena. The base of Kaizer Chiefs in the southern part of Jhb.
The South African multiple-cup winner [Hunt] has not had the previlege of bringing in as many new players as he would have wanted due to the FIFA restrictions in force at Chiefs. With a fulfilled wish-list or not, Hunt knows he has to deliver albeit with the same squad he inherited. To boot, this Chiefs squad nearly won the league any way.
Although it may not be the ideal situation for the new coach, the club has players who can challenge for any competition in the fray. To their benefit, Hunt is not strange to domestic football circles. That is an advantage to the team and a familiar environment for the coach.
Tinkler, on the other hand, will be building on his established system and reinforce his tactics. He has very little if any management challenges as for the movement of players.
Both Hunt and Tinkler may not be bothered much about fitting their players and (new) formations on this MTN8 duel, the main aims are to get a win and move on to the semifinals.
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Bloemfontein Celtic at 18:00
There are scores to settle in this fixture. John Maduka, Celtic coach, will be bidding his time on MTN8 Cup for sweet revenge against Sundowns. The latter, need to maintain their dominance and lift the bar ever higher.
Celtic will travel to Pretoria in a vengeance clash against the hard to crack Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Attridgeville.
The grudge match in the west side of the capital city comes on focus at the start of the PSL season just few weeks after their meet in a cup match.
Pleasing for the visitors is that they are still under the same technical tutelage that came close to clinching the Nedbank Cup in September. Today’s match for them is all about making amends as much as getting the season going.
On the flip side, the host will receive pitchside instructions from their triumvirate coaches tasked with filling the void Pitso Mosimane left after Al Ahly Sporting Club of Egypt lured him away from Pretoria’s most accomplished club.
Celtic may feel they have a chance here given the unstable technical bench of their opponents. They will feel they are within reach to stake a claim and strike a knockout blow to Sundowns.
Again, now Sundowns players have to contend with a new philosophy lead by three guiders. The adder is the well-traveled Steve Komphela who abondoned Lamontville Golden Arrows FC to join the then Mosimane assistant coaches – Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena – who have been elavated to joint head coaches at Sundowns.
According to the club’s communique Komphela has given the “Senior Coach” cap. What it translates into in practice is a bit intriguing. The lovers of the game have to wait.
Granted, football enthusiasts are wondering how the three-coached Mamelodi Sundowns will fare without confusion in the dugout after a string of successes in recent memory. As far as players go, they have retained all influencial cup winners. To this end, Komphela alluded that the enemy of the club is its own milestones. It has to take its own benchmark a tard higher.
Maduka, the man who will be calling the shots on the Celtic technical bench, will worry least about missing out on the Nedbank Cup glory to Sundowns last month. He will be mulling over how to captalise on the coaching changes on the opposite bench and go one better.
With that, it is evident that the battle lines are drawn. Who will blink first?
The draw for the semifinalists will follow right after the Sundowns-Celtic match.
Saturday MTN8 Cup Results
Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila 2-3 Super Sport United
Orlando Pirates 1-0 Cape Town City