It is all systems go!

Speaking to Mpumalanga News the PSL CEO, Brand de Villiers
said, “I believe we will watch another great exhibition of football.
‘There
can be no better way to wrap up the year than to watch two enterprising sides
who play attractive football battle for supremacy in what has become one of the
premier knockout competitions in the African continent.
“Together with our
sponsors and suppliers Telkom, we have enjoyed a mutually benefiting
relationship strengthened by our values and objectives. The 2013/14 TKO
tournament has been a tremendous success both on and off the field. We have
watched entertaining football and seen 41 goals scored so far en route to the
final. 14 matches later, we assemble in Mbombela to crown the 2013/14 TKO
champions. We are excited about this.”
Having last met on September 28,
during the MTN 8 Cup Final, where Stars surprised the Buccaneers on penalty
shootout, both teams know that this is going to be a tough battle.
“We are
coming from a tough weekend where we lost to Celtics, but the team is going back
to the drawing board to thoroughly prepare for the finals. It’s not going to be
any easy one but I can assure our supporters that we are leaving Mbombela with
that trophy and we are going to win it for them,” said Pirates’ spokesman,
Mickey Modisane.
“To be honest, this is going to be a tough battle. Our
football has grown and is now very competitive and there are no more small or
big teams anymore. All that is needed is for our players to remain focused and
be at their best.
We have a whole week to prepare for this final and I am
sure that all our injured players will be fit to play and help the team bag this
one,” he went on.
Even though Stars are still deemed as underdogs, but they
are certainly not to be underestimated and taken lightly as teams such as Kaizer
Chiefs, Sundowns and Pirates can attest to.
We are happy to have reached the
finals and we are happy be coming to Mpumalanga. We are not coming down there
just to add numbers but to give Pirates a run for their money.
“You know, we
didn’t get here via the back door, but went through tough opponents and we want
to continue where we left off.
“We want to rewrite the history books by
becoming the first-ever team to beat all the league’s big three teams in cup
competition,” said Stars’ spokesman, Aubrey Molobi.
Stars are no strangers to
the Telkom Knockout as they were crowned the champs back in 2006 after beating
Ajax Cape Town by 3-1 and they have all the ammunition needed to claim
silverware for a second time just before the year winds up.
Kick-off is at
20:15.
Stars will tomorrow be interacting with fans and signing jerseys at
the Nelspruit Plaza, I’langa and Riverside Malls and KaNyamazane shopping
complex, while Pirates also have a similar campaign at these venues and at the
N4 Shell garage.