Orlando Pirates legend Teboho Moloi has backed his former club to lift the MTN8 trophy in Durban on Saturday.
Pirates will be coming up against a revived Amazulu FC at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Bucs are aiming to reclaim the trophy they won two seasons ago under former German coach Josef Zinnbauer.
Touchdown KwaZulu! Is’khathi samaBozza sesifikile!
.@AmaZuluFootball vs .@orlandopirates – it’s a sold out game & kuzoba mnandi! Watch as our GM: Brand & Marketing, Nomsa Chabeli, tells us more about this exciting #MTN8Final! This is #MTN8 #WafaWafa – the winner takes all! pic.twitter.com/25x1Ik6RW3— MTN8 Wafa Wafa! (@MTN8) November 3, 2022
On the other hand, Amazulu are chasing their first trophy since lifting the Coca Cola Cup in 1992.
Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium will host the MTN8 final for the third time in a row. This will be the 7th time in 10 years for the iconic 2010 FIFA World Cup venue to host the event.
Orlando Pirates ended their six-year trophy drought when they won it in 2020.
Lifting the first knockout trophy of the season will inspire the new look Pirates side, under a new coach, Jose Riviero.
This will be the first time that Amazulu and Pirates will meet in the top eight competition since 1994.
Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Teboho Moloi says the players have no choice but to deliver on Saturday.
“The top 8 is synonymous with Pirates. 1973 we won it; 1983 we won it; 1993 we won it; during the treble and double treble we won the top eight. So, it’s non-negotiable. The players need to go out there and understand (that) this thing of players not playing (to) the occasion must come to an end.”
Orlando Pirates take on Amazulu for the MTN8 trophy at the Moses Mabhida Stadium:
Pirates will go into the match as overwhelming favourites, like last weekend ahead of the much talked-about Soweto derby against bitter rivals Kaizer Chiefs. However, they lost that match by a solitary goal.
Moloi is expecting the club to bounce back after last weekend’s disappointment.
“This is a big occasion, we expect them to rise to the occasion, we expect them to go to Durban and come back with the trophy. Players need to understand that this is one of the biggest tournaments that they are being expected to bring back. We are not going to negotiate with them. They have learnt from their mistakes during the derby game. I hope they’ve rectified those mistakes and they will go there and show us that they can really win trophies for us.”
Pirates should not underestimate a revived Amazulu who are celebrating their 90th anniversary this year.
The two oldest football clubs in the country last met in a cup final in the early 1970s.
Amazulu coach Romain Folz says his side is more than capable of causing an upset.
“If you can look at our previous games, we have the capacity to adapt and make sure that we are able to perform no matter the context. Yes, we have a preferential way; we have a game plan at first and we would like to implement and see how it goes, but if things don’t go our way or things need to be adjusted we are ready to do that.”
Usuthu are now an ambitious side under new owner, Sandile Zungu. They finished as runners-up in the DSTV Premiership two seasons ago, and went on to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
This will be Amazulu’s first cup final since the Nedbank Cup back in 2010.
The 32-year-old Folz says he will have a lot of surprises up his sleeve to pull a major shock.
“I’m not going to tell you I’m going to approach the game like this or this. One it will give weapons to any opponents trying to prevent us from being dangerous; secondly, because if you know me by now, I like to surprise people. So, look at the game. Let’s have a chat after the game and you tell me what you are thinking.”
The match kicks off at six o’clock in the evening, and it will be shown live on SABC 1.
