All set for grand finale in Durban

It has been exactly four weeks since the Absa Premiership drew to a close, with the bizarrely-long space in between caused by the PSL’s apparent change of heart in rushing to get the league finished by the end of May.

It is a gap that cannot have helped Pirates, who have not played a meaningful game since they lost to Golden Arrows on May 27. SuperSport would have been favourites today anyway, given their victory over Pirates in last year’s Nedbank Cup final, and the superior Premiership season that Stuart Baxter’s side have put together.

But they do look to have even more of an edge given Pirates’ inactivity and the fact that they have been competing regularly over the past few weeks in the Caf Confederation Cup.

“We have to be mentally ready, focussed and up for the challenge, it is going to be tough game for both teams, but we have been active so that gives us an edge over them,” admitted SuperSport midfielder Mandla Masango this week.

“We have to use it to our advantage, we have to pick up where we left off against Mazembe.” Matsatsantsa drew 0-0 at home to the DR Congo giants on Tuesday night.

“It was good preparation leading into the Pirates game.”

Pirates’ Abbubaker Mobara, however, did not seem too concerned about the Buccaneers’ lack of game-time.

Mobara has played in between, as part of Stuart Baxter’s Bafana Bafana side that lost a friendly 2-1 to Zambia. And he has been impressed with the spirit in the Pirates camp since his return.

“I saw a lot more than just an Orlando Pirates team from this past season, but I saw a Pirates team that I always used to play against, a team that wants to win. If we carry on like this until Saturday then we stand a good chance of winning the game,” he said.

Pirates will certainly be desperate to add some silverware to a disappointing season, where they finished outside the top eight in the league.

“All of us outside and inside the club know that we haven’t had a good season, but it is something that we have to accept and move on. There is a Nedbank Cup final coming up, and it could be anyone’s. The team that is hungry enough will take it,” added Mobara.

SuperSport will also have a motivation to win outside of this simply being a cup final – this is Baxter’s last game in charge before he takes on the Bafana job on a full-time basis.