The Eastern Cape’s top football clubs – Chippa United and Mthatha Bucks will battle each on Sunday in the inaugural Nelson Mandela Cup at the Mthatha Stadium.
The provincial derby between the PSL side and NFD rookies tops a weekend of sporting festivities organised to remember and celebrate the life of the late struggle icon Nelson Mandela who was born and bred in Mthatha.
Although there will be no prize-money for the winner on the field of play, all gate-takings will go to the Bucks coffers with tickets selling at standard PSL rates of R40 per adult.
The match is coordinated and organised by the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture (DSRAC) as part of its programme for the Mandela commemoration events lined up for the weekend with the Heroes Marathon also scheduled for Saturday.
The derby, a first of its kind in the Eastern Cape is needed by both clubs to keep active during the long festive break.
Chippa and Bucks both need this match to prepare for tough competitive encounters in their respective leagues later this month.
Chippa take on Bloemfontein Celtic on December 19 at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London while the latter will face off with Moroka Swallows a day later at the Mthatha Stadium.
But Bucks need it more than Chippa having not won a single match in the ongoing NFD 2015-16 season. A win will be a big morale-booster for the hosts, currently positioned in the NFD log basement, ahead of their collision with equally struggling Dube Birds.
The Mthatha outfit will not have it easy though, said Chippa spokesman Luthando Zibuko who stated that they were settling for nothing less than a win.
“We are excited about the game and we take it very seriously although it is a friendly,” said Zibuko. “This being a provincial derby the bragging rights will be at stake hence we will be going all out for a win.
“Obviously we will not travel all the way from PE to suffer an embarrassment that comes with losing a derby match.”
For this reason he added they will be fielding their best team “although it is a friendly”.
Mthatha derby set to spark
The provincial derby between the PSL side and NFD rookies tops a weekend of sporting festivities organised to remember and celebrate the life of the late struggle icon Nelson Mandela who was born and bred in Mthatha.
Although there will be no prize-money for the winner on the field of play, all gate-takings will go to the Bucks coffers with tickets selling at standard PSL rates of R40 per adult.
The match is coordinated and organised by the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture (DSRAC) as part of its programme for the Mandela commemoration events lined up for the weekend with the Heroes Marathon also scheduled for Saturday.
The derby, a first of its kind in the Eastern Cape is needed by both clubs to keep active during the long festive break.
Chippa and Bucks both need this match to prepare for tough competitive encounters in their respective leagues later this month.
Chippa take on Bloemfontein Celtic on December 19 at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London while the latter will face off with Moroka Swallows a day later at the Mthatha Stadium.
But Bucks need it more than Chippa having not won a single match in the ongoing NFD 2015-16 season. A win will be a big morale-booster for the hosts, currently positioned in the NFD log basement, ahead of their collision with equally struggling Dube Birds.
The Mthatha outfit will not have it easy though, said Chippa spokesman Luthando Zibuko who stated that they were settling for nothing less than a win.
“We are excited about the game and we take it very seriously although it is a friendly,” said Zibuko. “This being a provincial derby the bragging rights will be at stake hence we will be going all out for a win.
“Obviously we will not travel all the way from PE to suffer an embarrassment that comes with losing a derby match.”
For this reason he added they will be fielding their best team “although it is a friendly”.
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