Cape Town – Hey, Cape Town, it’s time to stir from that incessant slumber and get into gear because the moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. It’s back in full vogue, and it’s a rivalry - both on and off the field - that should make for a drama-laden, blood-and-thunder encounter.
The Mother City derby is upon us. After years of derby drought, the much-anticipated Cape duel between newly-established Cape Town City and Ajax Cape Town is scheduled for Friday at the Cape Town Stadium (kick-off 8pm).
There’s no need to reflect on the animosity between City boss John Comitis (a former Ajax co-owner) and the current proprietors of Ajax, the Efstathiou brothers, and it’s not even necessary to dwell on the appeal and fascination of Cape derbies of the past. This one, this derby - the first of its kind since the inception of City in June this year - speaks for itself.
But, much as City and Ajax are keen to focus on Friday’s clash, they’ll have to rein in their eagerness because, before that, both have tricky PSL games to negotiate tomorrow. Ajax host an improving Polokwane City at the Cape Town Stadium (7.30pm), while City are in Soweto to face current log-leaders Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium.
Football wisdom always suggests one game at a time, don’t get too far ahead, and concentrate on the immediate challenge. Both coaches - City’s Eric Tinkler and Roger de Sa of Ajax - will be drumming this attitude into their squads. The danger in thinking about the derby now places the result of tomorrow’s games at risk.
Ajax certainly need a win. In two league games to date, they’ve only picked up one point and De Sa will be desperate to get that first win on the board when they welcome Polokwane to the Mother City tomorrow.
City come off a disappointing two-leg 3-0 aggregate MTN8 semi-final defeat to Wits. It wasn’t so much the loss, it was the manner in which they were outplayed and out-thought that would be a major source of concern for Tinkler.
And now, with Pirates looming, he’ll be demanding vast improvement from his squad tomorrow.
After the goalless draw with Wits in Green Point on Saturday night, Tinkler said: “I thought we struggled in the first half - Wits put us under a lot of pressure, we struggled to create any combinations, we couldn’t keep the ball for more than three or four passes and we created very little.
“In the second half, we played more direct and we got a few chances. Overall, though, I was proud of the boys.”
Pirates have a potent attack and the Capetonians are going to have to be at their best.
The other major problem for City, though, is up front. They haven’t scored in three consecutive games now, though to be fair, it’s an issue that is bedevilling the entire landscape of South African football.
As Wits coach Gavin Hunt quipped after the game on Saturday: “It was endless chances and it’s really upsetting not to score, when we created so many opportunities. We got through and that’s the most important thing - but we could have played until next week, or maybe even the week after that, and we still would not have scored.”
Needless to say, Hunt’s words will be echoed by all the coaches in the PSL and a few national team bosses as well.
Ajax’s De Sa will most definitely agree - his team played Pirates off the park in a league fixture last week, but still managed to lose 2-1. So, when he sends his Ajax side out to face Polokwane tomorrow, De Sa will be clamouring for goals, and demanding that his team be more ruthless in front of goal.
This week’s fixtures
PSL
Tomorrow: Orlando Pirates v Cape Town City (Orlando Stadium, 7.30pm); Ajax Cape Town v Polokwane City (Cape Town Stadium, 7.30pm); Baroka FC v Wits
Wednesday: Free State Stars v Golden Arrows; Maritzburg Utd v SuperSport United; Highlands Park v Kaizer Chiefs
Friday: Cape Town City v Ajax Cape Town (Cape Town Stadium, 8pm)
Saturday: Platinum Stars v Baroka FC; Polokwane City v Highlands Park; Kaizer Chiefs v Maritzburg Utd; SuperSport United v Free State Stars; Wits v Orlando Pirates
Sunday: Bloemfontein Celtic v Golden Arrows
MTN8 semi-final, second leg
Wednesday: Mamelodi Sundowns v Chippa United (Atteridgeville, 7.30pm). The first leg ended in a 0-0 draw
The Star