There will be new Varsity Football champions crowned when UWC and TUT battle it out in the final in Cape Town on Thursday.
Hosts UWC failed to make the play-offs in the first two seasons of Varsity Football, but have had an incredible run this year going unbeaten at home to claim top spot on the standings.
It will also be a first final for TUT who were knocked out in a home semifinal in 2013 before missing out on the competition altogether last year.
Both teams won their goalless semifinals on penalties, with UWC ending Wits’ challenge and TUT knocking out two-time champions UP-Tuks.
When the two sides met earlier in the season at the same venue, UWC walked away with a slender 1-0 win in a game that could have gone either way.
While TUT have quite a few star players at their disposal, UWC have underlined the benefit of having a united team that is willing to work hard for each other.
This should make for a clash of styles as TUT should rely on style and flair while UWC will work incredibly hard for each other and rely on their vocal home crowd to carry them through.
For TUT the key players will be talented midfielders Itumeleng Mogotsi and Thabang Motau along with goalkeeper King Ndlovu, while for UWC the players to watch will be Thulani Mkosi, Tapelo Sixishe and captain Reon October in goal.
Although expectations will be high on his side, UWC coach Salie Adams expects them to handle the pressure and rise to the occasion.
“I am sure the boys will cope with the so called pressure they are experiencing now. In saying that the excitement should be there and it will also give them a little more motivation to do well,” he said.
Adams is expecting TUT to come hard at his side and try to bully them in what should be a highly physical encounter with so much at stake.
“I am expecting a physical approach from them. I don’t think their tactics will change much because I don’t think they have the type players that can make a difference. With our game we need to get a little more combination plays together and keep the ball a little bit longer.
“Hopefully we can get into their half and get some shots at goal because I don’t think their goalkeeper can handle those types of things – he is a little bit of a showboat and hopefully one of those shots can go in,” he said.
For TUT coach Bushy Moloi the biggest concern is the notoriously bumpy pitch at the UWC Stadium.
“Not being used to the field that they play on is the only disadvantage and nothing else. If it was at Athlone Stadium then it would be a different story.
“Another factor is that you won’t see a wonderful final. You will see a final that is predicted by the field and nothing else,” he said.
He vowed to gain revenge for their defeat at the same venue earlier in the year and keep the trophy in Pretoria.
“This time around we are going to play our style of football. We are going to stick to our principles. The last time we played, they had a lot of chances but they only scored one goal. We had more chances, but we did not score.
“So maybe this time around, like we did with Tuks, things might be different when we go back home on Friday,” he said.
Prediction: There is little to choose between these two sides, so this one may well go down to penalties and we are backing the home team to edge it and claim the title.
