“Pirates on the cusp of making history,” says Robert Marawa

Match of the week: MTN8 final: Orlando Pirates v Stellenbosch Football Club
Kick-off: Saturday, 5 October, 18:30
Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium
Live on Showmax Premier League

On Saturday, all roads lead to KwaZulu-Natal. All roads lead to the Moses Mabhida Stadium which has become famous for hosting every single cup final you can find under the sun in South Africa. But you know what, the fans in Durban love local football and in particular, the drama of cup finals, and I think the 17th edition of the MTN8 will be no different.

It’s the 17th edition purely because that’s how long MTN have been sponsors of the Top 8, but the tournament itself has a history that dates back as far as 1972. The tournament has taken on the form and guise of the BP Top 8, the SAA Super 8, and now, obviously, it is the MTN8 after having gone through many different evolutions. But the evolution of football is what we are looking at, because there’s R10 million at stake. Traditionally, you’ll recall that the prize money was R8 million. Everything was eight, MTN8 and R8 million is what you would have won. But obviously, everything has to go up and now, R10 million is in the pot.

Is it about the money? I don’t think so. For me it’s about Orlando Pirates, it’s about history, and in the kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, they have the chance to rewrite the history books. They won the MTN8 in 2022 and 2023, so they stand a very good chance of becoming the first club ever to win the competition three times in a row.

But that’s not all. The club will be looking to honour someone who was the father of Orlando Pirates, who passed away earlier this year: Stanley “Screamer” Tshabalala. Pirates boss Jose Riveiro is just a step away, just one cup away from equalling Screamer Tshabalala’s record, so this is a really big moment all round for Orlando Pirates. They will be determined to do well, for the club, for the fans, and to bring more silverware to the club.

But they need to be very careful because you can never write off Steve Barker’s Stellenbosch Football Club. The boys have been playing brilliant football, and have been representing the club continentally in the CONFED Cup in CAF. But right now, they are going to be buoyed by the fact that they did the unthinkable last season, and beat Orlando Pirates both home and away in the league. That is a feat that not just any club manages to do, so does this mean that Stellenbosch have closed the gap on Pirates? Well, cup games versus leaguer games are two different things, so this remains to be seen.

One thing I can tell you is that Iqraam Rayners will be nowhere to be seen. He’s the record holder with 68 goals, which is the most in the club’s history. He now plays for Mamelodi Sundowns. But whenever a great player leaves there’s always room for somebody else to step forward.

Go back to this past weekend when they played against Polokwane City. It wasn’t their greatest game, and they managed to draw 1-1. But the quality of the goal they scored was beyond amazing, and it came from a 28-year-old forward who scored a wonder goal, Lehlohonolo Mojela. So Bad Brad, as the supporters call him, will be a player to look out for in the Stellenbosch team.

And, well, from Pirates, if you look at who’s got the appetite, it’s players like Deon Hotto, who doesn’t play as an outright striker but who plays with a bit of a more defensive tone to his game. He will be another threat to Stellenbosch, so all round, all I am saying is that it’s a game we’ve all been waiting for. Whether it’s raining or the sun is shining, God’s Window at Moses Mabhida Stadium will witness the crowning of the MTN8 champions for this season.

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