Given Mashikinya

PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 05: Given MAshikinya of Bloemfontein Celtic during the Absa Premiership match between Maritzburg United and Bloemfontein Celtic at Harry Gwala Stadium on April 05, 2019 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)

Nedbank Cup: Baroka FC vs Bloemfontein Celtic preview

Baroka FC and Bloemfontein Celtic raring to get football in the country back underway when they meet in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday.

Given Mashikinya

PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 05: Given MAshikinya of Bloemfontein Celtic during the Absa Premiership match between Maritzburg United and Bloemfontein Celtic at Harry Gwala Stadium on April 05, 2019 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)

The 2019/20 Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign makes its eagerly anticipated return this weekend after a four-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the Nedbank Cup.

Things get underway with the Nedbank Cup semi-final round on Saturday, 08 August. While no real minnows remain in this year’s Nedbank Cup, either team that qualifies from semi-final one between Baroka FC and Bloemfontein Celtic will be regarded as an underdog come the final where they’ll face either Mamelodi Sundowns or Bidvest Wits.

Nedbank Cup: Baroka vs Celtic

Baroka FC face Bloemfontein Celtic on Saturday afternoon at the Orlando Stadium (14:00 SAST). The two have never met in a cup competition before while Baroka have beaten Celtic just once in their last eight league meetings.

Baroka head coach Dylan Kerr has faced Phunya Sele Sele twice in the past however the Englishman is yet to take a point from them. Saturday also marks the start of a new future for Celtic, John Maduka will be making his debut as head coach at the club.

Kerr gunning for continental football

Baroka FC head coach Dylan Kerr has challenged his players to making the final. The winner of the Nedbank Cup automatically qualifies for the following season’s CAF Confederations Cup and Kerr believes a huge golden ticket opportunity lies ahead for his players.

“This is the semi-final of the biggest cup competition in South African football, and to get to the final, you’re guaranteed a place in CAF,” – Kerr told the SA Football Journalists Association.

“Because if Sundowns get to the final, they would already have qualified for CAF. So, playing in the cup final against Sundowns, you’re automatically qualified for the Confederations Cup. I may be wrong, but that’s what I’ve been told.

“So, I see the incentive, and I’m not saying financially. The chairman might obviously give the players a financial incentive, but that shouldn’t motivate you to go out and perform to the best of your ability and to give yourself the opportunity to play in a cup final. I said to the players, ’80 percent of you may never ever get the opportunity to go to a Nedbank Cup final again, so don’t blow it!’”

We’ll play our game – Maduka

Celtic head coach John Maduka is not basing his preparations around his opponents but rather around his own team. The former assistant coach is also not expecting fireworks in football’s first game after four months in the country.

“We are looking forward to playing them, we know they are a good team, even though we haven’t seen them for four months now. That makes it tricky because we don’t k ow how they are going to approach the game. Us as a team, we have tried to make sure we plan and go and play according to our game-plan.” Kerr told SuperSport.

“In Europe you have seen that most of the teams started slow, we expect that as well. The games won’t be fast like we normally play. They will be slow, but as time goes they will get better and better.”

The Nedbank Cup semi-final match will be televised live on SuperSport 4 and SABC 1 respectively while you can live-stream the match on DSTV Now (Subscription required).