The big question that will be answered only on Monday after the weekend’s Telkom Knockout series had commenced: Who will be the teams remaining in this prestigious cup?
The Premier Soccer League Telkom Knockout competition will commence this evening, October 3, when clubs in action will have their big kick-off. All 16 PSL teams will be in action, and while it is a knockout series, only eight teams will be left for the next challenge on Monday.
Tonight will see Bidvets Wits take on Moroka Swallows from the South on home soil at Bidvest Stadium. The kick-off will be at 20:00.
The Students, winners of the League Cup competition twice during the 1980s and 1990s, reached the final in 2011, and will be looking to emulate that run against a Birds outfit that were twice runners-up in their history.
“This season we’ve set our goals and the Telkom Knockout is an opportunity for us to win something,” Sibusiso Vilakazi, captain of the Students, said. “We’re an ambitious side, and the management has brought in a couple of good players, which will push us to challenge for trophies.”
Saturday will see five matches, starting with afternoon kick-offs between SuperSport United and Free State Stars at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, and 2013 winners Platinum Stars up against Chippa United at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.
Dikwena will be looking to put aside a disappointing season so far as they aim to win a third Telkom Knockout – only Kaizer Chiefs have won that many since the current sponsors came on board in 2006.
Later on Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns, who last won the competition 24 years ago, entertain University of Pretoria in a Tshwane derby at Loftus Stadium, while Amakhosi, winners in 2007, 2009 and 2010, face Maritzburg United in Soweto.
Kaizer Chiefs will be aiming to further their winning streak, but who will be the team to derail them this time? Stuart Baxter’s men will be aiming to win a 12th successive match in 2014/15, a run that has seen them build a commanding seven-point lead at the top of the ABSA Premiership table and also sweep to the MTN8 title.
On Saturday night struggling league club AmaZulu hosts Bloemfontein Celtic, the 2012 champions, at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu.
There are two games to conclude the opening round on Sunday, with the competition making another stop in Soweto and taking the trip to Cape Town,
At the Orlando Stadium, Orlando Pirates will be bidding to bounce back from their shock league loss to Chippa when they entertain Polokwane City.
Finally, Ajax Cape Town, losing finalists in 2006 and 2009, host Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Cape Town Stadium.
