Pitch is ready for big match, says stadium manager
All is in place for the friendly between Nigeria and Bafana Bafana on Wednesday.
SOCCER fans have just two days before kick-off in the exciting soccer friendly between Bafana Bafana and African Champions Nigeria on Wednesday 14 August.
Tickets for the much-anticipated match are still available and soccer fans are being urged to get their tickets as soon as they can. “We want our fans to get to the stadium in their numbers as this match is in honour of our greatest leader – Nelson Mandela. We must get to the Moses Mabhida stadium and get behind these two great teams,” said Dr Musa Gumede, Deputy City Manager of the Community and Emergency Services Cluster.
Tickets for the game cost R100 and R50 and are available from Computicket. Kick-off for the match is at 8.15pm. “Both teams have landed on our shores and it is all systems go,” he added.
An arrival press conference for Bafana Bafana is scheduled for today, at 1.30pm at the Elangeni Hotel, on Durban’s beachfront. Bafana Bafana will have two training sessions – the first on Monday 12 August at People’s Park (Moses Mabhida Stadium) at 3.30pm and the second on Tuesday at 11am at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
KZN Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize said the province had a proven track record for hosting big events. “We are known for delivering on our mandate as one of the country’s best hosts of major events and we must continue to do so. We delivered in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, then in the AFCON tournament in 2013, and more recently when we hosted English soccer giants Manchester City when they played against our very own AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. This match between Bafana Bafana and Nigeria must also be well supported. It is a match being played in honour of Madiba and we must get behind the two teams.”
eThekwini Mayor, James Nxumalo said all the plans for the match was in place. “We have been hard at work mobilising our communities to get to the stadium and enjoy the game. We are also working with all stakeholders to ensure the usual logistics are in place for what should be a great match.”
Since last week there have been colourful street parades and activities in townships and taxi ranks in and around the City to build hype and excitement around the big match. On Tuesday, 13 August, there will be a parade through Mahatma Gandhi (Point) Road, Anton Lembede (Smith) Street, Albert Park, Joseph Nduli (Russel) Street, Warwick Avenue and Dr Pixley ka Seme (West) Street. They parade will be between 11am and 2.30pm.
Metrorail will provide a shuttle service for two hours before the match on Wednesday night and one hour after the match. “The shuttle service will run between Durban station and Moses Mabhida station every 15 minutes at R5.50 per trip. We have also provided two trains to service Umlazi and KwaMashu fans after the match,” said Metrorail spokesperson, Thandi Mkhize.
“The stadium is ready and the pitch has been given the thumbs up. This is a wonderful curtain raiser for next month’s final World Cup qualifier, when Bafana Bafana take on Botswana at our stadium,” said Vusi Mazibuko, Stadium Manager for Moses Mabhida.
