Samuel Eto’o to play in derby for each side

The Carling Black Label Cup makes a return to the football scene after a year’s hiatus as a result of the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic which forced its cancellation.

It has come back strongly and with a surprise in the hat that could see the return to the field of play of retired Cameroonian and African Player of the Year, Samuel Eto’o.
Eto’o may make an appearance in the Kaizer Chiefs versus Orlando Pirates match on 31 July at the FNB Stadium.

The former striker, who was a guest of honour at the launch party at the Focus Rooms event venue in Modderfontein on 25 May said, “I am fit and ready. I still have a lot of football in me, and if the fans choose me on the day, I devote 10 minutes to each side and hope to score for both of them,” said the man who scored more during his career than any other African footballer.

The highly anticipated and contested pre-season derby between the two Soweto giants, which has come to be known as the Beer Cup, has seen the creation of a fan-focused football fixture so unique, it continues to transcend the way fans interact with the beautiful game.

Besides providing football fans with the opportunity to select a starting line-up of their choice, each year fans are introduced to new innovations which allow them to experience the game of football differently.

The 2021 edition will be no different as fans have been challenged to ‘change the game’ by experiencing ‘your game, your way’, said Carling Black Label brand director, Arné Rust, who elaborated on a few innovations that have been introduced this year.

“As with each edition, we will be putting the power in the very capable hands of champion fans. The fans will be able, for the first time, to select a penalty taker of their choice in the hope that a penalty situation arises during the run of play.

“In addition to selecting the penalty takers, fans can select the formation they would like the team to play in, their preferred captain, substitutes as well as the man of the match. To further elevate the fan experience, fans will now have access to player performance statistics, rich data and insights on the two teams, which have been made available on the Carling Black Label Cup website,” said Rust.

Armed with this kind of knowledge, Rust said the fans would be empowered to make more informed decisions when selecting their preferred matchday squads, which would essentially empower every one of them to ‘be the coach’.

This year the derby is set for an 8pm kick-off and given the various Covid-19 protocols and restrictions around gatherings, the brand expressed regret that for the first time in the history of the cup competition, fans would not be allowed into the stadium.