“It was a special game, especially on a personal level,” reveals captain Siphiwe ‘Shabba’ Tshabalala about Kaizer Chiefs’ last Telkom Knockout win.

Amakhosi go into this year’s final against Mamelodi Sundowns, on Wednesday, 16 December, having won the League Cup thirteen times, three of the gold medals have come with Telkom as sponsors.

“We were in the final and my mom was in hospital,” reflects ‘Shabba’ on the emphatic 3-0 victory over archrivals Orlando Pirates in the 2010 Telkom Knockout final. “On Friday evening we were in camp and I asked the coach if I could visit my mom.”

“I promised my mom and the entire family the gold medal,” he discloses.

Tshabalala scored the third goal that sealed the victory in front of a 91 000 capacity crowd at the FNB Stadium on the night of 4 December 2010.

“I was not fully focused because of my mom, but the day after the final I visited the hospital proudly carrying the gold medal,’ adds the Chiefs midfielder.

Unfortunately, on 5 December, Shabba’s mom, Rebecca Tshabalala, passed on.

“I did well scoring the match’s last goal,” continues the Chiefs midfielder. “The match required a big match temperament.”

From the class of 2010, Itumeleng Khune and Reneilwe Letsholonyane are the only two other players still in the Amakhosi squad.

Chiefs go into this titanic sold out clash against Mamelodi Sundowns on Reconciliation Day, December 16. Kick-off at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium is at 18:00.

Chiefs will wrap up 2015 with a home fixture against Bidvest Wits in an Absa Premiership match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 19 December (kick-off is at 18:00).

The tickets for this encounter have already gone on sale at Computicket and Shoprite/Checkers outlets nationwide at a cost of R60.