Bidvest Wits v Bloemfontein Celtic
Friday 1 August – Bidvest Stadium (20:00)
The South African soccer season officially opens this weekend with the top eight teams from last season contesting the MTN8. Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic will kickoff proceedings on Friday night in the first quarter-final. This is a repeat fixture of the Charity Showdown two weeks ago where Celtic edged Wits 1-0.
Wits had a superb 2013/14 season, finishing third on the log behind Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs. The Clever Boys defeated Ajax Cape Town 3-1 in a pre-season friendly at the Athlone Stadium last Friday night. The Urban Warriors took the lead via Nathan Paulse but Wits went on to take the lead after a brace from new signing Christopher Katongo. Another new face in Henrico Botes got on the scoresheet, as Gavin Hunt’s men ran out 3-1 winners. Wits then beat Moroka Swallows 1-0 on Saturday. Besides Katongo and Botes joining Wits, The Clever Boys have snapped up some good talent including Dillon Sheppard from Maritzburg United and Buhle Mkhawanzi from University of Pretoria. Katongo will most definitely fill the void left by Benjani Mwaruwari and is expected to form a deadly combination with Sthembiso Ngcobo upfront.
Bloemfontein Celtic boosted team morale two weeks back, winning the Charity Showdown without conceding a goal in two matches. They started the tournament ousting Wits 1-0 and went on to beat AmaZulu 2-0 in the final. Celtic, spurred on by their passionate support base, finished their season on a good note clinching sixth spot and more importantly a place in the MTN8. Phunya Sele Sele started the season badly and switched coaches by employing German tactician Ernst Middendorp and he then improved the team as they gradually made their way to the top half of the table.
These sides met four times last season, with Wits amazingly winning all four encounters scoring nine goals and conceding just three. The Clever Boys have home advantage and Celtic are a team who rarely win on the road. Back Wits for the win.
Mamelodi Sundowns v Platinum Stars
Saturday 2 August – Loftus (15:00)
ABSA Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns take on the MTN8 holders Platinum Stars on Saturday.
Sundowns continued their pre-season preparations with two more wins last weekend. The Brazilians had a successful tour of Zimbabwe, and two more good results by beating Moroka Swallows and Ajax Cape Town. On Friday night Teko Modise’s late penalty was enough to see off the Dube Birds. Then, on Sunday, they completed their trip to Cape Town with a 3-2 win against Ajax. Sundowns winger Lebohang Mokoena will miss the start of the season with a shoulder injury, while veteran midfielder Surprise Moriri is also carrying a knock and will be absent for this game. The pair were crucial in Sundowns’ title winning campaign. Downs have been busy in the transfer window bringing in several new faces and also welcoming back loaned players. Amongst the new signings is winger Lindokuhle Mbatha from Platinum Stars, strikers Mame Niang from SuperSport United and Bonginkosi Ntuli from Golden Arrows. Highlighting the returnees are Themba Zwane – who played for Black Aces last season and Nyasha Mushekwi – who spent some 
time at Oostende in Belgium
Platinum Stars had an excellent run in all three cups last season. They won the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout and were beaten in the Nedbank Cup final. They amazingly faced Pirates in all three finals. Their league form left a lot to be desired, finishing eighth on the table after failing to find any consistency to replicate the season prior where they finished runners-up to Kaizer Chiefs. Dikwena were big losers in the transfer window, having seen three big players leave the club. Mbatha went to Downs while Henrico Botes got a move to Wits and Issa Sar landed the big time at Pirates. Stars have brought in striker Ndumiso Mabena from Orlando Pirates and midfielder Letladi Madubanya from Bidvest Wits
The last meeting between the sides came in March of this year in league play and Sundowns walked away with maximum points in a 3-1 scoreline. The Brazilians have beefed up their squad and are looking a good bet for the win here.
Orlando Pirates v SuperSport United
Saturday 2 August – Orlando Stadium (20:15)
Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United looks the most high profile quarter-final with both sides boasting strong squads.
Orlando Pirates are fresh off their Carling Black Label success and coach Vladimir Vermezovic believes it was a good exercise for his team ahead of the 2014/15 season. Just like in the first two editions of the tournament, Orlando Pirates relied on penalties to beat rivals Kaizer Chiefs. This time they won 6-5, with Thabo Matlaba scoring the winning penalty after the match finished goalless. The fans, who chose the starting XI and made one change, gave new signing Issa Sarr a chance to show what he has to offer and VV looks set to hand the Senegalese his first official debut here after speaking well of the midfielder after the match.
SuperSport will be looking to challenge for silverware this season after failing to win anything last campaign following some big signings. They have made three more major signings this season and let go of several veterans. Defender Clayton Daniels joins from Bloemfontein Celtic along with striker Lerato Manzini and midfielder Michael Morton has signed from Maritzburg United. The hard-running Morton tasted some action in the Gauteng Cup Challenge two weeks back, which SuperSport eventually won after beating Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.
SuperSport have dominated this fixture for the last two years, going unbeaten in the last four head-to-heads and won the last two of those. In the Soweto derby last weekend, it was clear Pirates struggle to create sufficient goal scoring opportunities. SuperSport rely on some talented wingers to create chances and should maintain their excellent recent form against Pirates with a win here.
Kaizer Chiefs v Black Aces
Sunday 3 August – FNB Stadium (15:00)
Kaizer Chiefs and Mpumalanga Black Aces complete the final quarter-final on Sunday.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter was happy with the way his side performed despite the loss against Orlando Pirates in the Carling Black Label Cup. “We dealt very well with the fact that we were playing in a shape that was unknown to us, we really created this just for the game, and the supporters picked the team they picked. I thought in the 90 minutes the majority was okay.” A scan will be done on a thigh injury suffered by striker Kingston Nkhatha following his early substitution in Saturday’s match. There is a possibility Nkhatha might be out for more than a month. If Nkhatha is out, it adds to the injury woes at Amakhosi. Bernard Parker and Siphiwe Tshabalala are also sidelined while star striker Knowledge Musona is yet to be re-signed by AmaKhosi. That leaves just new signing Siphelele Mthembu with Katlego Mphela as options upfront.
Clive Barker enjoyed a tremendous 2013/14 season in his maiden campaign with Mpumalanga Black Aces as they managed to clinch a top eight spot, finishing seventh to qualify for the MTN8. Aces have been busy during the transfer window, making five good signings in defender Edwin Gyimah from SuperSport United, attacking midfielders Miguel Timm and Bhongolethu Jayiya from Bidvest Wits, midfielder Thanduyise Khuboni and defender Mzuvukile Tom from Golden Arrows and last but not least striker Collins Mbesuma who had a season to forget at Pirates last term, but will be hoping to regain his form in the upcoming campaign. Aces were in action in the Charity Showdown two weeks back and failed to make the final after losing 2-1 to AmaZulu.
Chiefs beat Aces in the first league meeting between the sides last season but Amazayoni got their revenge with the same scoreline at FNB Stadium. Chiefs look weak in attack with their three biggest threats probably all sidelined on Sunday. The draw looks a good bet.
