‘A Strategic Sacrifice’: How Durban Sacrificed Arrows vs Chiefs Fixture To Win The MTN8 Final

EThekwini Executive Director of Community Services Vusi Mazibuko says the Betway Premiership fixture between Golden Arrows and Kaizer Chiefs was intentionally relocated to ensure Moses Mabhida Stadium was pitch-perfect to host the MTN8 final.

Anticipating that Durban would win the hosting rights, municipal officials opted to move the high-profile match to Mbombela Stadium two weeks ago, ahead of the FIFA international break.

City Manager Musa Mbhele explained that officials initially attempted to move the fixture across the road to Kings Park Stadium, but the venue was unavailable.

Smaller Durban venues like King Zwelithini Stadium and Princess Magogo Stadium were also considered, but given the massive crowd drawn by Kaizer Chiefs, organizers decided the match had to be played at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga.

“The reason why Moses Mabhida is not available at the start of the season is that work is being done at the stadium, and that work is continuing,” Mazibuko said at an impromptu press conference on Tuesday, after the venue was selected by the PSL on Monday night to host the 10th MTN8 final since 2010 — more than any other stadium in the country.

“That work is continuing, and the stadium has been selective about which matches it will host. That unavailability made Kings Park available for other matches that were originally hosted at Moses Mabhida Stadium because the work is continuing.”

He continued: “The stadium’s intent is that we want to host the final, and we have been planning to host this final. But that plan included a selection of what was happening on the pitch, so that if the announcement was made, it would favour the stadium.

“Part of that requirement is the readiness of the stadium and the pitch because it gets inspected by the PSL.”

Mazibuko added that heavy rainfall during a recent CAF Confederation Cup preliminary fixture between Durban City and Rukinzo at the venue had compromised the surface, accelerating the decision to protect the pitch.

“So, when the Durban City match happened [the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary first leg], unfortunately, you saw the weather; it was raining, and the pitch deteriorated. The work that needed to be done to ensure we were ready to contest for the announcement of the final had to be completed,” he said.

“The content that was going to happen between that match and the announcement of the final needed to be shifted.

“Hence, the Golden Arrows and Chiefs match could not be taken in isolation. We had to anticipate that if we got the final, we needed to be ready.

“So, those were the strategies that were taken in preparation for the announcement, to favour us, which the stadium has done well to make happen.

“We made those choices to get what you think is strategic to happen as part of the build-up.”

The upcoming MTN8 showpiece between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns is a rematch of the 2023/24 final held at the same venue, where Pirates emerged victorious via a penalty shootout.