Teams ready for appetiser to PSL season as they prepare for MTN8

THE MTN8 competition offers an R8 million prize and will be the perfect hors d’oeuvre to the start of the new domestic season.

The competition was launched in 1972 and is uniquely South African. This season's event will be the 50th instalment of the competition in its various guises after BP and SAA were previous sponsors.

The eight coaches and teams that finished in the top eight positions in the Premiership last season will all have a chance to write their names in the annals of the event.

Coaching for glory

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi could join the coaches’ roll of honour with this season’s MTN8 tournament. Mngqithi lifted the trophy in 2009 with Lamontville Golden Arrows and then at Sundowns in 2021 as co-coach with Rulani Mokwena.

Having now taken sole charge of The Brazilians, he can match the feat of the late Stanley “Screamer” Tshabalala, who won three titles ‒ with Pirates (1978) and Sundowns (1988 and 1990).

We're all set for the #MTN8 ✅

Here are the fixtures for the quarter-final phase of the tournament. pic.twitter.com/BHvHZVuW4f

— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) July 26, 2024

Galaxy look to the stars

TS Galaxy will be playing in the Top 8 competition for the first time after four seasons in the top-flight league. The club, named after its lawyer owner Tim Sukazi, has enjoyed a meteoric rise in SA football after it was founded in 2015.

They started as a Safa Second Division side and then bought the National First Division status of Cape Town All Stars in 2018. The next season they defeated Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in the Nedbank Cup final. They became the first team in SA football to win the Nedbank Cup while campaigning in the NFD. They could make history again if they win the MTN8 title on debut.

City on the rise

History also beckons for Polokwane City, who made their Premiership debut last season. They have become the first club from the Limpopo Province to win through to the Top 8 in their maiden season. They did well in their final match of last season to defeat a strong Galaxy side to qualify for the Top 8. They will cause a massive upset if they defeat favourites Sundowns in their opening clash.

A new Sea Robber

Orlando Pirates will likely let their marquee signing Delvi Miguel Vieira, better known as Gilberto, make his South African debut on Saturday against SuperSport United. The 23-year-old attacker joined the Buccaneers from Angolan giants Petro de Luanda at the end of last season. He is a 13-time capped Angolan international and was a star performer for the Black Sable Antelopes at Afcon earlier this year.

United are cooking

Since the fixtures were announced, SuperSport United are surprisingly the most backed team on social media. It seems the Blue Nation have raised their hopes because of signings like ex-Pirates match winner Vincent Pule, Nyiko Mobbie, Pogiso Sanoka and a familiar face, Ricardo Goss.

Coach Gavin Hunt, in their opinion, is cooking up a champion team. SuperSport have a mountain to climb when they kick off their campaign on the road against the defending champions, Pirates.