Orlando Pirates v Bidvest Wits
The South African domestic season draws to its conclusion with the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, with Orlando Pirates and Bidvest Wits battling it out for glory. The two PSL big hitters will go head to head in Durban for the coveted piece of silverware, and a cool R7million prize purse, although the Buccaneers make the trip having lost three finals in a row. "We need to win," Bucs assistant coach Eric Tinkler said. "Nobody likes to finish second. No one remembers who finishes second. This is our last opportunity to salvage some pride." The former Bafana Bafana midfielder also felt it was important for the side to forget about their shortcomings in previous finals, where they lost in the MTN8, Telkom Knockout and CAF Champions League showpiece encounters this term. He continued: "The mood in the camp is good. Everybody is looking forward to try and redeem our season. Most importantly it's about the players enjoying the experience. We have to put what's happened in the past." Pirates striker Lennox Bacela proves the only fresh injury absentee from either squad and will miss out on the showdown, with the veteran having been ruled out due to an ankle injury. For the Clever Boys, the game presents an opportunity to add to their best-ever PSL finish after they ended the recently-concluded Premiership campaign in third, only nine points behind newly-crowned champions Mamelodi Sundowns. "It is important for us to look for a win and top our season off," Wits assistant Paul Johnson said. "We have done well in the league but this is a chance to walk away with something to show for our work." Victory for either side would make them the first club to win the title twice under the Nedbank banner. Johnson, however, shifted the spotlight onto the Sea Robbers. "There is no pressure on our boys," he added. "From a Pirates point of view its tough on them. They have that big cloud of losing three cup finals in a row to overcome."
