Just 11 days before the highly-anticipated Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Simba SC coach Fadlu Davids shared worrying words about the iconic venue.
Davids guided his Tanzanian team, Simba, to the final of the CAF Confederation Cup, following a goalless draw against Stellies at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
In the first-leg, held in Zanzibar a week prior, Wekundu Wa Msimbazi secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Jean Charles Ahoua. In the return-leg, Simba managed to hold Stellies to a goalless draw, advancing to the final where they will face RS Berkane of Morocco.
The first game of the final is scheduled for May 17 in Morocco, with the return fixture set for May 25 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
FADLU DAVIDS FLAGS ISSUES WITH MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM
Davids expressed concerns about the pitch quality during his post-match interview with SABC Sport. The former Pirates coach congratulated the Winelands club for their run in the CAF inter-club competition.
He went on to say the Steve Barker-coached side “played to their strengths and the pitch wasn’t conducive for football.”
He added: “We couldn’t play our possession game as usual and in CAF semi-final it’s not really now about forcing and then trying to do it. The players then decided to just manage the game, keep the ball and let’s see if we can try get a moment to score.”
The final match between Amakhosi and the Buccaneers is a high-stakes encounter. Chiefs are yet to win a trophy in almost a decade, while the Buccaneers would want to win their third successive Nedbank Cup.
It comes as Jose Riveiro is approaching the end of his tenure as Bucs coach. The team aims to give him a proper send-off, particularly after Pyramids FC eliminated them from the CAF Champions League in the semi-final stages last Friday.
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