Friday, September 27, 2013

MTN8 Final: Orlando Pirates VS Platinum Stars

If last season is anything to go by, then it would be a Stuart Baxter vs Cavin Johnson MTN8 Cup Final on Saturday, but football is an unpredictable sport. The first victims were University of Pretoria, Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars as well as Cavin Johnson's SuperSport United. Next was Gavin Hunt's Bidvest Wits and the current Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions Kaizer Chiefs. Now only two teams remain, Orlando Pirates and Platinum Stars.

Many predicted the downfall of Platinum Stars after the departure of their head coach at the end of the last campaign, Allan Freese has shown that he is more than capable of producing quality football and possibly bring home some silverware for one of the most underrated South African team currently.

Having scored 9 goals and conceded 3 in the MTN8 Cup alone, the is no shortage of fire power within the team, and any "Rat" hating fan would happily wager that Platinum Stars "will" become this year's MTN8 Champions. However, in every road there are speed bumps, and in this road to MTN8 Championship, the biggest hurdle is Orlando Pirates.

Orlando Pirates are fast developing their reputation of being "Knockout Kings," having knocked out Djabal Club Zanaco FC and TP Mazembe from CAF Champions League in the knockout phases of the tournament; they continued to do the same with SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 Cup this season. Roger de Sa together with his men are no longer the team that was hampered by Maluti FC last season, they have developed into an African powerhouse that earned them the Goal.Com African team of the month (August), and it may very well seem like no team can match De Sa's troops this season.

Both these teams deservedly are in the final, due to strong offensive and competitive football they displayed in this year's MTN8 Cup campaign. It shall be a battle of tactics between De Sa and Freese, a goal scoring battle between Lennox Bacela and Robert Ng'ambi and a battle for cup glory between Orlando Pirate and Platinum stars, if anything, football shall be the winner this upcoming Saturday.

By Mihlali "Stroyd" Stwayi

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