On Saturday, the ground will be a glorious sight, packed to its capacity.
Orlando Pirates played Golden Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday evening, with the stadium a far cry from how it will look when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final.
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Most of the stands were empty, as Jose Riveiro’s men won 2-1. On Saturday, the ground will be a glorious sight, packed to its capacity, with Chiefs and Pirates fans hoping to roar their team to glory.
Soweto derby always sells out
The nature of South African football is such that wherever Chiefs and Pirates go, a game between these two Soweto giants will see tickets sold out.
Some may argue that such a game, particularly a cup final, needs more seats than the 56 000 or so that will be available at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The organisers could certainly have done without the confusion with ticket sales that preceded the game. Tickets went on sale on Monday but the company responsible, Open Tickets, were forced to apologise due to issues with the purchasing platform.
Should the game have been taken to FNB Stadium, where most derbies are played, and where around 90 000 fans are able to attend?
In terms of demand, it certainly would have been a better idea. Yet FNB Stadium is Kaizer Chiefs’ home ground. Would it really have been fair to play a final there, when it is supposed to be played on neutral territory?
The venue would also have been decided before it was known Chiefs and Pirates would meet in the final. Agreements were presumably signed and it is not incumbent on the organisers to change the venue, just because Chiefs and Pirates got to the showpiece match.
There have also been perfectly successful Soweto derbies played in the past in Durban.
Fifa look on in 20008
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at Absa Stadium in the league in November 2008. The game was also notable for being played in front of a Fifa delegation in town for the 2010 Fifa World Cup preliminary draw.
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And in 2014, Chiefs and Pirates contested the MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, with Tefu Mashamaite scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 victory for Amakhosi.
There is no reason to think Durban will not give us another game to remember on Saturday.
