Saturday’s MTN8 final between Cape Town City and Mamelodi Sundowns is expected to be a fiery contest. Both sides come into the fixture in good form, although City will carry the underdog status. The match will be played in front of two thousand spectators as the PSL prepares for the gradual return of fans to its matches.
Earlier this month, two thousand fans were allowed to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia at the FNB Stadium. Following that breakthrough, the PSL has gone in the same direction. The MTN8 final will be used as a pilot project to assess whether fans can be welcomed back to the stadia for PSL matches.
It has been almost two years since spectators were banned from attending matches due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those who will be granted permission to attend the match will undergo strict COVID-19 regulations.
“Each spectator is expected to provide a ticket, proof of vaccination, and an ID to be allowed entry into the stadium. They must also have put on a mask, without a mask entry will not be allowed, so no mask no entry,” says PSL Head of Risk Mlungisi Ngcami.
Since the formation of City six years ago, the club has reached four cup finals. They face a team that is the firm favourite. But City doesn’t regard itself as underdogs.
“We know we need to be on top of our game but having said that you know Cape Town City maybe in a forty men squad, we don’t compete but if you take the twenty men squad that’s chosen for this final then I think we’ve got individuals who can compete, we can go toe to toe with them,” says Cape Town City Assistant Coach Diogo Peral.
The MTN8 cup has eluded Sundown for many years. It’s another opportunity for the club to engrave its name on the trophy. Co-coach, Rhulani Mokwena however, emphasised that they will not play to the occasion, but they will be inspired by the fact that the current generation of players can re-write the history books.
“We are motivated by the goals, the ambitions of the club and not necessarily by the negativity of being inspired by the fact that we have not won this trophy before,” says Mokwena.
The match kicks off at six o’clock in the evening.
