Vuvuzela South Africa

With a sold-out 76 700 crowd, and the presence of president Jacob Zuma and Bafana Bafana, the opening of  Soccer City with this afternoon’ s Nedbank Cup Final between AmaZulu and Bidvest Wits is expected to be a heluva event.

But the question is – can AmaZulu beat Wits this afternoon in the first ever match at the revamped at Soccer City? (kickoff at 3pm) The game between Usuthu and the Clever Boys will be broadcast to over 22 million viewers worldwide.

Bafana Bafana at Soccer City

The presence of Bafana, less than three weeks before they play the opening World Cup match against Mexico at the same venue on June 11, will no doubt see the national team given a reception that will lift the roof of the awesome revamped stadium.
AmaZulu vs Wits – Even Match

AmaZulu is my hometown team, based at Moses Mabhida Stadium you are talking about, so I agree with Usuthu coach Neil Tovey that the boys can do it. I hope they just keep their discipline tight, having suffered a red card in each of their last three games, while two games ended in penalties.

Usuthu last brought home some silverware in 1992 and this could be the year that two Durban teams write their names into the history books of South African soccer – Golden Arrows have already taken one trophy this season (MTN8).

Even Match

All experts seem to agree that this Nedbank Cup Final is a very even match.

According to football365.com Wits coach Roger de Sa believes AmaZulu have the edge going into the final.
“Sure we have had an easier run-in, and that gives AmaZulu the edge. I do not have a problem with that. But it will be close,” he said.

“There was little to choose between the teams in the league. AmaZulu finished ninth and we ended 10th. We have not won a cup in 15 years and they have gone 18 years without a trophy, so there is nothing in it.

Nedbank Cup Final R6 million

The winning team of the Nedbank Cup Final today will pocket R6 million, but for the loyal Usuthu supporters it will be a joyous celebration after years of pain and defeat.

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AmaZulu will play Bidvest Wits in the Nedbank Cup final at Soccer City on Saturday after beating Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 in a sudden death penalty shoot-out after the game ended 1-1 in extra-time.

The dramatic penalty shootout, which they won 4-3, included three saves by goalkeeper Nicolas Gindre.

Goals Scored bye Mokoena for Downs and Gumede for Usuthu

The goals were scored by Lebogang Mokoena for Downs 74th minute and Sandile Gumede got the equaliser in the 89th minute to take the game to extra-time.

Usuthu had the better of first half exchanges, looking more threatening and energetic in attack.

Big-spending Sundowns dominated possession with their calculated passing, but were not so hot in front of goal and it was AmaZulu who enjoyed the sharper opportunities.

Bafana Bafana vs Thailand

With the Bafana Bafana vs Thailand Match on Sunday 16 May, it was accepted that Sundowns were without six players currently with Bafana Bafana’s World Cup training squad but in their defense, the boys from Durban can point to a string of suspensions that depleted them as well.

In the end, it was left to Litha Ngxabi to seal the game for Usuthu, and he did so, sending the ball past Baloyi’s outstretched hands.

AmaZulu: (4-4-2): Gindre, Biyela, Mkhonza, Chintu (Siboniso Gumede 46’), Ishaka; Mabaso, Sangweni, Sikhakane (Ngxabi 74’), Mokoro; Ngwenya (Sandile Gumede 80’), Dlamini.

Sundowns: (4-4-): Baloyi; Mere, Xulu, Mungomeni, Mayinga; Mmotong, Nyandoro (Ncaca 112’), Pattison, Mokoena; Vilakazi, Katongo (Phala 67’)

Read about the Amazulu vs Mamelodi Sundowns Match

Image: AmaZulu Celebrate. football365.co.za

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The Absa Premiership League is more competitive this year than it has ever been, with interesting developments every week. Football 365.co.za took a look at all this weekend’s matches.

Bloemfontein Celtic 4  Ajax Cape Town 2

A princely 86th minute goal from Nigerian striker Prince Olomu paved the way for Bloemfontein Celtic’s rousing 4-2 Premier League win over Ajax Cape Town at a sun-scorched Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

AmaZulu 0  Jomo Cosmos 0

The Premiership relegation battle between struggling AmaZulu and bottom-of-the-log Jomo Cosmos fizzled into a damp squib at a wet Moses Mabhida Stadium with neither side managing to score in a dull 90 minutes.

Bidvest Wits 2  Golden Arrows 1

Goals by Sifiso Myeni and Mark Haskins sunk Golden Arrows and bought Wits their first win in 15 games on Saturday night.  Wits won 2-1 with Myeni netting the opener from the spot in the 25th minute thanks largely to new signing Sifiso Vilakazi. The former Ajax Cape Town hitman earned the penalty following an adjudged foul by Msekeli Mvalo.

SuperSport United 3  Mpumalanga Black Aces 0

SuperSport United maintained their six-point lead at the top of the PSL standings with 3-0 win against Mpumalanga Black Aces at Loftus on Saturday evening.

Sundowns 2 Kaizer Chiefs 1

A late goal from Siyanda Xulu was enough to give Mamelodi Sundowns three crucial points as they beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Santos 0  Orlando Pirates 0

Orlando Pirates were once again held to a goalless draw, this time against Santos, who also slipped further away from the title race at Athlone Stadium on Friday night.

Absa Premier Soccer League Standings

Supersport still tops the table after this weekend with 47 points followed by Sundowns at 41 and Santos at 39 (Sundowns and Santos have only played 22 games – one less than the log leaders).  Kaizer Chiefs is next with 38 points from 23 games with Orlando Pirates on their heels with 37 from 24. Right up behind the leaders are Bloemfontein Celtic and Ajax Cape town – both on 34 points from 24 games.

See the Premier Soccer League Standings

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Action is heating up in the PSL and the matches being played around South Africa this weekend will certainly make a difference for some of the teams who are on the brink of either moving up to become contenders, or who are losing the plot and dropping way down in the standings.

Kaizer Chiefs v Bloemfontein Celtic

Kaizer Chiefs will be sporting their 40th Anniversary kit when they tackle Bloemfontein Celtic at the Super Stadium on Saturday night.

After a poor start to the Season Amakhosi have consistently been picking up speed and hope to make this encounter with Bloemfontein Celtic four on the trot which could see the team move up to second in the PSL standings.

Santos v Lamontville Golden Arrows

Santos have the chance to close the gap on SuperSport United when they entertain Golden Arrows at the Coetzenburg Stadium on Saturday night.

The People’s Team are seven points behind Matsatsantsa and will be looking to their home matches as a source for the points to catch them.

Abafana Bes’thende head have struggled of late and will look to put their slump behind them when they travel to the Western Cape.

Arrows currently find themselves ninth in the standings, and they head into the match against title-hopefuls Santos on the back of a defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Free State Stars.

SuperSport United v Jomo Cosmos

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt is refusing to underestimate Jomo Cosmos when they entertain them at Loftus Versfeld Saturday night.

United currently sit seven points clear at the top, and the team will be looking to Anthony Laffor to continue his fine form following the midfielder’s second brace of the season in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Moroka Swallows.

Jomo Sono’s charges are currently rock bottom of the PSL standings with the defending champions sitting pretty seven points clear at the top of the standings.

Hunt will have a fully fit squad to choose from and will welcome back midfielder Jabu Maluleke, who returns from suspension.

Free State Stars v Mpumalanga Black Aces

Mpumalanga Black Aces will be hoping that the addition of new striker Darrel Smith will inspire them to victory over Free State Stars at Goble Park at the weekend.

The Mpumalanga outfit are currently second-from-bottom in the PSL standings, but a win on Saturday will see them leapfrog Stars in the table.

AmaZulu v Mamelodi Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to keep the pressure on SuperSport United with a win over AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The Brazilians are currently in fifth position after their 1-0 win against Bidvest Wits, nine points behind log leaders SuperSport United.

Maritzburg United v Ajax Cape Town

Ajax Cape Town will be looking to affirm their place in the top four of the league when they take on a confident Maritzburg United side at Woodburn Stadium.

The Urban Warriors go into the match on the back of a 0-0 draw against AmaZulu but they will be buoyed by the possibility that a win might move them from fourth to second of the league.

Bidvest Wits v Moroka Swallows

BidVest Wits’ run of 12 matches without a win can no longer be descried as a slump. Roger de Sa’s men face a crisis and must attain a result against Moroka Swallows on Saturday.

The Clever Boys’ atrocious form has seen them free fall down the table and they now lie 14th, just two points clear of second-from-bottom Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Both sides find themselves in the bottom-half of the standings.

Platinum Stars v Orlando Pirates

Platinum Stars coach Steve Komphela is hoping his side will be on the right end of some well-deserved luck on Saturday when Orlando Pirates are the visitors to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

The former Bafana Bafana captain is gaining a reputation for his outbursts against referees. It was his great misfortune therefore when, he was forced to watch as his side went down 3-1 to Kaizer Chiefs on Wednesday due in large part to a dubious penalty decision. Wednesday night’s result was the second time this season against Amakhosi that Komphela could rightly feel aggrieved.

The Buccaneers will be looking for their first away win in over three months when they travel to Platinum Stars for Saturday’s PSL clash in Rustenburg.

Sources and pics: www.football365.co.za and www.soccerladuma.co.za

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Well it looked like AmaZulu has it all in hand, two wins on the run and a KZN Derby as the opening match of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, but then the Maritzburg defender Byrone Hendricks  wrote his name into the history books by becoming the first player to score a goal at Durban’s new 2010 Stadium..

The Team of Choice became the Team of the Day when the closely matched teams struggled for the full ninety minutes to find space, and produced an interesting, if not thrilling game as the opening match for a crowd of 22 000 excited, vuvuzela-blowing spectators. The Score Martizburg United 1 – Amazulu 0.

Red Card – First Player to Be Sent Off

And talking about firsts, in the 28 minute AmaZulu’s Sibusiso Hadebe pulled clear of Maritzburg’s defence and was darting towards goal when some overzealous jersey tugging from Peter Petersen brought Hadebe’s run to a grinding halt a few metres away from the danger area. For his bad discipline, Petersen became the first player to be sent off at this venue.

The win takes The Team of Choice up to 12th on the Absa Premiership table as Usuthu drop down to 13th place.

The hands- down winner of the day was the Moses Mabhida Stadium, which delivered and delivered again. From the well-organised parking; the very visible security presence; the ample restrooms and the wonderful seats with truly great views of the pitch from all over – this stadium is going to be a hit with the World Cup Crowds.

South African Soccer Crowds

I’m a bit sad that the real South African Soccer Fans, like the ones who shared the Stadium with me yesterday will probably not be filling up the stadiums for the world cup games because the tickets are too expensive. Because the vibe in a real soccer crowd is electric. If anyone wants to experience unity and African warmth, they just need to get a vuvuzela and become one with the crowd at a South African soccer match.

Laduma!

Also read my friend and Comrade in Vuvuzela’s, Fred Hatman’s account of the day and check out his great pics.

The Teams

AMAZULU: Mzimela, Van Heerden, Mkhona, Bishop, Bukasa, Biyela, Ngxabi,
Hadebe, Zwane, Ngwenya, Ritson. Subs: Gindre, SDlamini, A Dlamini,
Sangweni, Ariweriyai, Gumede, Mokoro.

MARITZBURG UTD: Goldman, Hendricks, Ngwepe, Petersen, Dikulu,Thakathi,
Chivuta, Madondo, Obada, Davids, Aka. Subs: Wardle, Diouf, Nyatama,
Ncubeni, Zimba, Madidilani, Bester

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