Speculation is already rife as to whether Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs will be crowned Carling Black Label Cup champions for 2014.
The much-anticipated off-season titanic Soweto derby is scheduled to take place at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on 26 July, with kick-off set for 3pm. Fans of the beautiful game have already started tongue-wagging on social media about who will be crowned the champs.
Pirates won the first two instalments of the Carling Black Label Cup in 2011 and 2012, and on both occasions it was via penalty shootouts. Kaizer Chiefs on the other hand, edged out the Buccaneers 1-0 in last year’s competition, courtesy of a goal from Lehlohonolo Majoro.
But in a twist of fate, Majoro is now a squad member of The Ghosts, and Pirates fans will be able to vote for him in this edition of the spectacle after he made the move to The Buccaneers in January. The Ghosts’ fans will also look forward to him burying his former team to lift the trophy.
Chiefs faithful’s have in the past overwhelmingly voted in their millions since the inception of the cup, and in the last two years one player has stood out from the rest as being a huge favourite with football supporters.
Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, captain of Chiefs and Bafana Bafana, has received the most number of votes than any other player on either side in the past two years, proving that he is the most popular player in the country.
Khune received 2.6-million votes last year and will be a huge favourite to be the leading nominee in 2014 again, as fans select their teams for this year’s showpiece encounter. Khune said the faith Amakhosi fans have shown in him has been a big boost to his confidence.
“It is great for me to get that recognition from the supporters,” he said. “To know that you have their backing and that they believe in you as a player. The supporters are a huge part of any football club and we are fortunate enough to have millions right across South Africa.”
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