Chiefs to draw the crowds at Maize Cup
JOBURG - This year's Maize Cup edition gets underway on 15 July at the James Motlatsi Stadium.
Kaizer Chiefs will be the drawcard for the crowds expected to attend the Maize Cup games at the James Motlatsi Stadium in Klerksdorp on 15 July.
Three teams were selected to participate in the games along with perennial participants Platinum Stars by virtue of being the host team from the North West province.
The other two teams to join Dikwena and Amakhosi in the third edition of the cup are Free State Stars, and invitational side from Botswana and that country’s league champions, Township Rollers who have been part of the cup games since its inception in 2015.
The inaugural cup was won by Dikwena while the second edition went to Soweto giants Orlando Pirates, who were not invited this time as the organisers said they wanted to attract as many different Premier Soccer League teams as possible.
Speaking at the launch, the host team’s communication manager Tebogo Mochadibane said the cup was theirs to lose again if ‘we don’t pull up our socks at Dikwena’.
“We failed to defend it against Pirates last year and this time will be no child’s play as we’re determined to win it,” Mochadibane said.
His counterpart in the maize belt of South Africa, Free State Stars assistant coach David Vilakazi said fans could expect a changed outfit from the one that battled relegation in the Absa Premiership this season.
Vilakazi dispelled rumours that the club was up for sale. “I have not seen any sale signs outside our office unless if I was not looking in the right direction,” he said.
Chiefs media and communications manager Vina Maphosa said his club’s two seasons without a trophy in the Absa Premiership were over.
“Winning begins with the Maize Cup which will be a stepping stone for things to come in the new season of the Absa Premiership,” Maphosa said.
Rollers’ public relations officer Bafana Pheto said as their name implied, they will be here for business and will roll over their opponents.
“We’re not here just to add a number to the four teams. We mean business, and the business will be rolling over our opponents to take the cup outside the borders of this country for the very first time,” he said.
Platinum Stars will be involved in a fierce battle of the stars in the first semi-final against neighbours Free State Stars at 10am while the Soweto Glamour Boys will be up against Rollers in the second semi-final at 12pm, with the final scheduled for 4pm.
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