LIMPOPO – The Mayor’s Cup final between Secha-Six FC of Ward 18 in Muyexe village and Dzingidzingi Brazil of Ward 21 in Dzingidzingi village is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable finals in the tournament’s history, with neither side having been among the teams expected to reach the final.

Two surprise finalists earn their place

Both teams have defied expectations on their way to the deciding match, leaving supporters and local football followers struggling to predict which side will walk away with the Mayor’s Cup trophy.

Rodrick Rikhotso, the general secretary of Safa local football, popularly known as Jay-Jay, said the two finalists had earned their places through different approaches and strong performances at crucial moments.

Jay-Jay dismisses muti claims

Addressing discussions among local football supporters, some of whom have suggested that Dzingidzingi Brazil could not have defeated Homu without using muti, Jay-Jay dismissed the claims, saying the team’s game plan was responsible for its success.

“It wasn’t witchcraft that got them to the final, but their game plan,” he said.

“If you recall, Homu never had a good tournament. Their wins were largely based on luck and moments. Their attack has been good throughout the tournament, but their finishing has been disappointing,” he explained.

Secha-Six’s dramatic comeback

He said Secha-Six had also surprised many by turning their fortunes around at the right time, particularly during their dramatic comeback.

“Secha-Six turned things around from losing point to winning. What a cracker in equalising. Thumbs up to their goalkeeper, who went from 2-0 to 2-2 in the dying minutes,” he said, crediting the goalkeeper for playing a key role in the comeback.

Jay-Jay also pointed to Secha-Six’s victory over Masipala FC as another result that had caught many people by surprise.

“Masipala FC won’t forget about last Saturday’s defeat. It came unexpectedly, although both teams were good,” he said.

Neither side an obvious favourite

However, despite their impressive run, Jay-Jay believes neither of the two finalists has shown enough consistency to make them an obvious favourite for the final.

“Just go down memory lane and look at how Dzingidzingi won their games. Their play isn’t convincing at all. They don’t play, to be blunt,” he said.

He was equally cautious about Secha-Six, saying the team only began to show significant improvement after beating N’wamankena.

“Yes, Secha-Six is also not that good. Their graph was only lifted after they won against N’wamankena. Secha-Six doesn’t have any specialty. They rely on strength and aerial attack,” he said.

A final too close to call

With both teams having taken an unexpected route to the final and neither displaying a clear advantage over the other, the match between Secha-Six and Dzingidzingi Brazil on the 12th of September promises to be difficult to predict.

The final will therefore be a battle between two surprise finalists, with supporters left to wait and see whether Secha-Six’s physical and aerial approach or Dzingidzingi Brazil’s game plan will prove enough to secure the Mayor’s Cup trophy.