MTN8 final for Durban
JOBURG -– The 2017 MTN8 final will play itself out yet again at the same venue, Moses Mabhida Stadium, between the same finalists of last season.
The MTN8 final between defending champions SuperSport United and Cape Town City will be staged at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on 29 September.
It would be interesting to know which direction the final will go this time around, having gone the Tshwane way on penalties in the previous encounter last season. At stake is not just the trophy and R8 million in prize money but pride and bragging rights.
Read: Chiefs cruises to the semis of the MTN8
SuperSport, which is the only team to have successfully defended the Nedbank Cup, will be looking to write another piece of history in this cup competition and in the books of the Premier Soccer League by successfully defending the cup.
For Cape Town City though, it will be more of wanting to avenge last season’s defeat in the epic final at the same venue which was decided on penalties after a 1-1 draw after the 90 minutes. The Citizens, as City is fondly known to its faithful supporters, scored first in the 23rd minute in last year’s final through the boot of Sibusiso Masina.
SuperSport equalised in the 80th minute of the game to send the two teams into the lottery of penalties. This was after a Thabo Mnyamane strike which sent the bench of Matsatsantsa A Pitori [the bourgeoisie of Pretoria] into a frenzy as they had resigned themselves to defeat.
Premier Soccer League acting chief executive, Mato Madlala said, “This is not just another final – but a re-match where both teams will be looking at either settling old scores or reaffirming that last year’s triumph was not mere luck.
“The league, SuperSport United, Cape Town City and MTN took the decision that the Moses Mabhida Stadium will provide a perfect backdrop to this encounter, and hence we have come up with the sequel,” added Madlala who was optimistic that Gautengers and Capetonians would make the journey for the game.
Mapula Bodibe, consumer business executive at MTN SA, described the Moses Mabhida Stadium ‘as without a doubt, one of the country’s most iconic venues which has hosted historic finals’.
“We are quite excited about the choice of venue. For us, it’s always been about taking the game to the people that part with their hard-earned cash to support these teams – the fans. Durban has successfully hosted the MTN8 final five times since its inception and the passion of Durban fans for the game is undoubted. We are convinced they will embrace us yet again.”
