Kickoff (Cape Town)
5 December 2008
Forget about a full-scale practice for the Telkom Knockout Final, this weekend's Absa Premiership clash between the two cup finalists, Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town, will be a hard-fought affair.
With all the top-of-the-table contenders involved in tough matches this weekend, both Bucs and the Urban Warriors will want to bank the three points on offer because they know the second round of the campaign will be even harder.
The R4,25 million prize next weekend may well be an incentive to hold back, waiting for injuries to heal and suspensions to be served, but the chances are that both coaches, Ruud Krol and Craig Rosslee, will be looking for an early advantage in the game and then sitting back to defend it.
Krol will be without five key Buccaneers - defender and captain Lehlohonolo Seema (suspended), striker Gilbert Mushangazhike (suspended) and midfielder Lebo Mothibantwa (suspended).
Left-back Innocent Mdledle has a broken foot while Thulasizwe Mbuyane is nursing a foot injury.
Another big concern for the former Holland skipper is that his star midfielder Teko Modise and Bennet Chenene are both sitting on two yellows and a third on Saturday could rule them out of the cup final should the League decide to postpone Bucs' next midweek match against Maritzburg United.
Krol told his club website that he is confident with the depth of players at his disposal.
"We might be without some of our regulars on Saturday, but that is football. Injuries and suspensions happen all the time. But I believe I have the solution to the problem."
Rosslee, who carries a smaller squad than Pirates, will be trying to second guess what Krol has in mind before he picks his squad and flies out of the Mother City.
The Urban Warriors' mentor has an additional problem that stretches further ahead than the League or the Cup.
He has to consider their expensive safari into Africa that lies ahead and the R4,25 million at the end of the rainbow next weekend will go a long way in easing the financial burden that the CAF competition initially carries.
Predicting the outcome will be difficult. Both sides are in great form, having won their semifinals this past weekend.
Ajax are seeking a fourth straight win in the Absa Premiership, while Pirates are unbeaten in their last seven league matches.
Ajax beat BidVest Wits 2-1 in their last league outing. Pirates held Mamelodi Sundowns to a goalless draw away from home.
It will be the 19th league meeting of the two teams since 1999/2000.
The Buccaneers have had the better of the past 18 games against the Urban Warriors, winning ten and losing just four.
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