THE final of the Nedbank Cup will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban for the second year running as the venue fast becomes a favourite for staging knockout deciders.

Tomorrow's showpiece fixture will be the sixth cup final staged at the venue since it was opened before the 2010 World Cup and for the second season running it has staged two of the three knockout deciders in South African football.

It has proved so popular because of the setting it creates and the fact that every domestic cup final played since the 2009 MTN8 decider between Lamontville Golden Arrows and Ajax Cape Town has featured at least one side from Gauteng, meaning a neutral venue outside the province had to be found.

The first final to be staged at the stadium was the 2010 MTN8 decider that saw Orlando Pirates defeat Moroka Swallows 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw.

It was the first trophy in a "treble" season for the Buccaneers.

Pirates were triumphant again when they beat Bidvest Wits 3-1 on a rainy night in the final of the 2011 Telkom Knockout the following season, which they hope will be a good omen for Saturday.

The final of the Telkom Knockout returned to the venue for the 2012-13 campaign when Bloemfontein Celtic edged Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0, before Kaizer Chiefs defeated SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup decider that closed that season as Bernard Parker scored in extra time.

The MTN8 final was staged in Durban earlier this season as Platinum Stars won that competition for the first time with a penalty shootout win over Pirates after the teams had drawn 1-1.

And so, with two wins and a defeat, Pirates do at least have a positive record at the venue going into tomorrow's Nedbank Cup final, while the Clever Boys have lost in their only appearance.