The Carling Knockout has reached its penultimate stages, with Orlando Pirates and Richards Bay set to battle it out in the first semi for a spot in the final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
Golden Arrows and Marumo Gallants will be in action in the second semi-final at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
The Buccaneers and the Natal Rich Boys head into the encounter enjoying a good run of form. Pirates are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions, while Richards Bay is undefeated in their last three matches across, also all competitions.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit drew 1-1 with Sekhukhune United in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday and overcame rivals Durban City 3-1 in the Carling Knockout quarterfinals.
The last time the two sides met in the knockout competition, Richards Bay came out on top, as they eliminated the Buccaneers in the quarterfinals via penalties two seasons ago.
Hoping for repeat performance
Ahead of the game, Bay coach Ronnie Gabriel expressed his hopes and mission to repeat the same feat and stun the PSL cup specialists.
“While planning for this game here, we always tap into that type of energy, that type of experience. We go back to beating Pirates in the same fixture, and this year we want to do the same thing,” Gabriel said.
“The belief is there, and the group is buying into it. They understand that at this stage of a cup competition, if you put in the right energy and performance, we’ll give Pirates a run for their money. These moments are what players live for: the pressure, the crowd, the big stage.”
Respect for the opposition
Despite Richards Bay’s confidence, Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou said they will respect their opponents and are wary of the threats they pose.
“For me, it’s very important we prepare well for the game, analyse the opponents, and respect all the teams. I think it will be a very tough game on Saturday,” Ouaddou said.
“We are in Durban, so they’ll have a certain pride about them, especially playing against a strong team. They’ll want to make sure KZN teams are in the final; all of those factors will count in this encounter,” Ouaddou added.
It will also be a bitter-sweet moment for Yanela Mbuthuma and Nkosikhona Ndaba, who will face their former side for the first time since joining Pirates at the start of the season.
The game is scheduled to get underway at 3pm.
