Meshack Motloung
Meshack Motloung
A win for Moroka Swallows' opening league game against Orlando Pirates could be a motivating factor for the Birds.
This will be evident when they face SuperSport United in the quarterfinal of the SAA Supa 8 at the Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg tomorrow.
Kick-off is at 3pm.
This is bound to be a litmus test for Swallows because they have not won this prestigious trophy before. Their only achievement was to meet Jomo Cosmos in the final when the competition was started in 2003.
Now they are optimistic to annex the coveted trophy in its fifth and final edition.
Swallows' coach Ian Gorowa admitted that they were not at their best against Pirates because they had a number of new faces who had not played for Swallows before.
"Until we made changes in the second half we were all at sea. But it's going to be a tough game because SuperSport have the cup pedigree, and they have also won this trophy.
"They are cup specialists and their records speak volumes, but records are there to be broken.
"Their coach Gavin (Hunt) knows Swallows players, and the players know him too. I know him well but he does not know me. So we're in a better position than them," said Gorowa.
Gorowa conceded that they needed to sign a midfielder and another striker, but that he will stick to the side that beat Pirates.
Hunt said he was in a rebuilding process because his team was depleted.
"We have plenty of injuries to our key players, and we have few youngsters on the bench, but we hope to do well," he said.
Swallows will depend on players such as Lefa Tsutsulupa, Cecil Oersen, Alton Meiring and Patrick Twala to give the United defence a torrid afternoon and steer the Beautiful Birds to the semifinals.
But SuperSport United, who won this SAA Supa 8 in 2004, are equally determined to reclaim it.
They have players such as the mercurial Katlego Mashego, Katlego Mphela, Calvin Kadi and Rudi Isaacs to bring the lucrative trophy back to Pretoria.
But SuperSport have cup pedigree
Meshack Motloung
Meshack Motloung
A win for Moroka Swallows' opening league game against Orlando Pirates could be a motivating factor for the Birds.
This will be evident when they face SuperSport United in the quarterfinal of the SAA Supa 8 at the Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg tomorrow.
Kick-off is at 3pm.
This is bound to be a litmus test for Swallows because they have not won this prestigious trophy before. Their only achievement was to meet Jomo Cosmos in the final when the competition was started in 2003.
Now they are optimistic to annex the coveted trophy in its fifth and final edition.
Swallows' coach Ian Gorowa admitted that they were not at their best against Pirates because they had a number of new faces who had not played for Swallows before.
"Until we made changes in the second half we were all at sea. But it's going to be a tough game because SuperSport have the cup pedigree, and they have also won this trophy.
"They are cup specialists and their records speak volumes, but records are there to be broken.
"Their coach Gavin (Hunt) knows Swallows players, and the players know him too. I know him well but he does not know me. So we're in a better position than them," said Gorowa.
Gorowa conceded that they needed to sign a midfielder and another striker, but that he will stick to the side that beat Pirates.
Hunt said he was in a rebuilding process because his team was depleted.
"We have plenty of injuries to our key players, and we have few youngsters on the bench, but we hope to do well," he said.
Swallows will depend on players such as Lefa Tsutsulupa, Cecil Oersen, Alton Meiring and Patrick Twala to give the United defence a torrid afternoon and steer the Beautiful Birds to the semifinals.
But SuperSport United, who won this SAA Supa 8 in 2004, are equally determined to reclaim it.
They have players such as the mercurial Katlego Mashego, Katlego Mphela, Calvin Kadi and Rudi Isaacs to bring the lucrative trophy back to Pretoria.