Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze Zimpapers Sports Hub
PREMIER Soccer League defending champions Scottland feel they are ready to face Kaizer Chiefs and upstage the South African giants when they take to the field in the third edition of the Toyota Cup.
The Mabvuku based side jet off to South Africa this morning, ahead of the cup fixture scheduled for Sunday at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenburg.
Kick-off is at 14:30 PM.
With gates opening at 09:00 AM, the Cup game stands as Kaizer Chiefs’ annual pre-season fixture and premier event on their calendar which combines action, entertainment and fan engagement.
Head coach Norman Mapeza is confident that his side are in the best shape to stage a competitive show against Chiefs.
“We are fully prepared, we are not coming from pre-season and we have played more than 20 of our league games which means that in terms of match fitness we are okay,” he said.
“Our opponents are coming from the off season, so maybe we might have a slight edge over them in terms of fitness.”
Scottland boast prolific former Chiefs forwards, Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat in their ranks while the presence of Emmanuel Jalai on loan from Durban City also bolsters the squad.
In the domestic league, they top the log standings with 52 points in 24 games after tasting defeat only twice, recording 15 wins while the other games ended in draws.
For a side that is headed to the CAF Champions league in a few weeks, Scottland will also be looking to use the Toyota Cup as an international friendly to weigh their competitiveness before participating in the African Safari.
“This Cup competition will give us a true reflection of where exactly we stand in terms of being ready for the Champions League,” Mapeza said.
“The champions league is a different ball game altogether; we need to be at our best and the cup will show us where we stand… but we will not pressure the boys, they just need to go and compete.
“Champions’ league will not be easy, just look at the quality of the Moroccan side, Algeria and an Egypt side that had five players from Al Ahly S C, that is the quality that we will meet in the competition.
“We will go and simply compete but we will not place ourselves under unnecessary pressure.”
Mapeza will travel with a bigger pool of players for the cup clash, as he seeks to rotate his squad and hand game time to those who have not been getting some.
With Chiefs being one of the giants in the South African topflight, the cup game can also be an opportunity for emerging stars to showcase their talent and attract suitors.
However, Gareth Madhake will have to wait longer to get an opportunity to feature for his side as he is still recovering from a lengthy injury, although he is now doing some light training.
“From what I heard, they might use two teams so we also need to use two teams,” said Mapeza.
“Further, we never know what might happen next week, maybe PSL might instruct us to play Dynamos midweek which means that we have to be careful how we use our players.
“But above everything, it is a game of football and everything comes down to preparation…it is a huge honour for us to be invited and we grab the opportunity with both hands.
“I hope that in the coming editions, some of the local clubs will also be invited because it is good for us.”
The Toyota Cup was inaugurated in 2024 when Kaizer Chiefs hosted Young Africans of Tanzania in Bloemfontein while last year they played in Durban against Asante Kotoko of Ghana.
Both fixtures featured ‘legends’ matches as curtain-raisers, a tradition that continues this year.
