Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has denounced the favourites’ tag ahead of the Nedbank Cup final against Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
The much-anticipated clash of the Soweto giants will kick-off at 3.30pm in the 2010 Fifa World Cup venue.
Between the two teams, Pirates are clear favourites because of their form this season and the fact that under outgoing coach Jose Riveiro they have not lost to Chiefs.
Ncikazi though, feels that:
“We are not favourites. Being favourites is very subjective and if you really look at it you will realise that; one – Chiefs were the last winners in the cup final between the two teams, secondly – Chiefs are a well-rested team if you compare the number of games we’ve played (this season).
“We’ve played 48 games and they’ve played 34 games. We’ve played 14 more games and so that makes them a well-rested team.
“Again coming into this week, we played yesterday (Tuesday, they beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 2-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium) and they’ve had a whole week of (uninterrupted) preparations and so we do not want (to create) any illusions. They are more rested (than us).”
Ncikazi did not stop there but he also denied that the Moses Mabhida Stadium can be referred to as their happy-hunting ground.
“I’d love for it (the venue) to be a happy-hunting ground but history shows that the last time the two teams met in the final was in 2014, September 20,” said Ncikazi.
“Kaizer Chiefs won the game, it was the MTN8 final. They were the last winners (when the two sides last met) at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“(In that case) I honestly do not think we have any advantage because the records show that they were the last winners when the two sides met at this venue.”
Chiefs fans should not be fooled though, for Ncikazi made it clear that they are aiming to rewrite Nedbank Cup history on Saturday.
“We are aiming to make history and become the first club in the PSL era to win it three times consecutively,” said Ncikazi.
