For Matsatsantsa, the 2009/10 season has already been a success: a third successive league title is in the bag. However, coach Gavin Hunt is a perfectionist and would love to see his side add one of the two cup titles on offer in the remainder of the season to the league championship and claim a rare double.

They will have to do it without Emille Baron, Bongani Khumalo and Daine Klate, who are all away with the South African national team in their training camp in Brazil, while the injured Morgan Gould is also unavailable for selection.

SuperSport, who a few years ago were considered ‘cup specialists’ after reaching six cup finals between 2004 and 2006, have not won a cup title since beating Wits University in the 2005 Absa Cup final.

In fact, United have not progressed beyond the quarterfinals in the Telkom Knockout in three attempts, a poor record for a championship winning side. In 2006 they were dumped out in the first round by Black Leopards, while in 2007 and 2008 they succumbed in the quarters to Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic respectively.

However, at least the Pretoria club has some experience in the Telkom Knockout; this will be Black Aces’ first run out in the competition.

The two teams have met 14 times since 1990, but all of those games have been league encounters – this will be the first cup meeting between the two. Aces have won seven games to SuperSport’s three in their previous meetings.

However, two of Matsatsantsa’s three wins came in the recently completed league season, with the champions scoring eight unanswered goals against AmaZayoni in 5-0 (away) and 3-0 (home) victories.

Basing a prediction on those encounters, one would have to say that SuperSport are the clear favourites and Aces will have to raise their game to new level if they are to prevent a first round exit in their maiden Telkom Knockout participation.

Head-to-Head Stats

1990
Pretoria City 1 (Leyds) Aces 2 (Kelobo, Mabena)
Aces 1(Jacobs (og) Pretoria City 0

1991
Pretoria City 2 (Randall 2) Aces 2 (Nxumalo 2)

1992
Aces 1(Shili) Pretoria City 0
Pretoria City 1 (Walters) Aces 2 (Shili 2)

1993
Pretoria City 1 (Hlongwane) Aces 2 (Thulare, Mabena)
Aces 2 (Ngobe, Mofokeng) Pretoria City 1 (Steenkamp)

1994
Pretoria City 0 Aces 2 (Nxumalo, Shili)
Aces 1 (Biyela) Pretoria City 1 (Maake)

1996
Aces 2 (Shili 2) Pretoria City 2 (Shaw, Peer)

1996/97
Aces 0 Supersport 0
Supersport 4 (Batchelor, Shaw, Lawrence, Alexander) Aces 0

2009/10
Aces 0 SuperSport 5 (Salmon, Gould, Klate 2, Monterio)
SuperSport 3 (Laffor, Salmon, Maluleke) Aces 0

Courtesy Backpage