Calvin Marlin has backed Ajax Cape Town to upset Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup final in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, eight years after the Urban Warriors stunned the big spenders in the same competition.
The retired goalkeeper was between the sticks for Sundowns during the 2007 Absa (now Nedbank) Cup final when Muhsin Ertugral's "chickens" sealed a 2-0 victory over the Chloorkop club in Durban, thanks to goals from Bryce Moon and Franklin Cale.
A Sundowns side with stars such as Surprise Moriri, Godfrey Sapula and Lerato Chabangu went into the game as league champions and overwhelming favourites, but they were outclassed by the likes of Clifford Ngobeni, Enoh Eyong and Cale in the Ajax team.
Marlin's got good reason to back Ajax, who have beaten Bloemfontein Celtic, Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United en route to the final.
Not even the absence on the bench of coach Roger de Sa, sent off in the final league game against Orlando Pirates, will affect the Urban Warriors, Marlin says.
"With all the technology these days the coaches are able to communicate, so Roger's absence won't affect them. My head says Ajax. I just have a feeling they will win it. I remember when we played them in the final in 2007 and they outplayed us," said Marlin, who once played for Ajax.
"But Ajax have been inconsistent this season and it depends on the day which Ajax teams comes out. Let's see how the youngsters will perform.
"I think Sundowns will be caught on the counter. They like to play and that means they can open up at the back and maybe Ajax can take advantage."
Dethroned as league champions by Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns need their best players to rise to the occasion to overcome an Ajax side that beat them in the league in the first half of the season.
Ajax will stun Downs: Marlin
Calvin Marlin has backed Ajax Cape Town to upset Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup final in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, eight years after the Urban Warriors stunned the big spenders in the same competition.
The retired goalkeeper was between the sticks for Sundowns during the 2007 Absa (now Nedbank) Cup final when Muhsin Ertugral's "chickens" sealed a 2-0 victory over the Chloorkop club in Durban, thanks to goals from Bryce Moon and Franklin Cale.
A Sundowns side with stars such as Surprise Moriri, Godfrey Sapula and Lerato Chabangu went into the game as league champions and overwhelming favourites, but they were outclassed by the likes of Clifford Ngobeni, Enoh Eyong and Cale in the Ajax team.
Marlin's got good reason to back Ajax, who have beaten Bloemfontein Celtic, Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United en route to the final.
Not even the absence on the bench of coach Roger de Sa, sent off in the final league game against Orlando Pirates, will affect the Urban Warriors, Marlin says.
"With all the technology these days the coaches are able to communicate, so Roger's absence won't affect them. My head says Ajax. I just have a feeling they will win it. I remember when we played them in the final in 2007 and they outplayed us," said Marlin, who once played for Ajax.
"But Ajax have been inconsistent this season and it depends on the day which Ajax teams comes out. Let's see how the youngsters will perform.
"I think Sundowns will be caught on the counter. They like to play and that means they can open up at the back and maybe Ajax can take advantage."
Dethroned as league champions by Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns need their best players to rise to the occasion to overcome an Ajax side that beat them in the league in the first half of the season.