Posted in News on Nov 24, 2003.
This semifinal clash played under soaking rain on Saturday at the same venue, was abandoned due to excessive water ditches that made it difficult and dangerous for players, resulting in referee Ace Ncobo stopping the game after a 90 minutes 1-all stalemate.
Speaking after a lengthy operational meeting held at the offices of the Premier Soccer League on Monday morning, club spokesman Putco Mafani said this replay will be more difficult than the original game stopped by rain over the weekend: "As you know Silver Stars are already waiting in the finals, that’s pressure already, the anxiety will double, the excitement will increase, and the focus, more needed than ever before. It feels like this is the REAL semi final.
"We have already started selling tickets because it will be a humdinger of a game still. There is more talk and debates but our focus remains beyond compare," said Mafani.
Entertainment will be scaled down as compared to that of Saturday and the main amusement item will be the two giants locking horns in 90 minutes.
Head coach of the Naturena side, Ted Dumitru did not mince his words about the seriousness in this game. "We have to approach this game more seriously and more aggressively from the beginning and probably some of the players might have thought we were already in the finals and that can be dangerous, but now there are some secrets and surprises in store for Wednesday," said the Amakhosi mentor Dumitru.
Limpopo side Silver Stars booked their place in the finals through a Lesley Langa own goal that sent his team Golden Arrows packing at the Giyani stadium.
History will be made on 6 December 2003 when Stars, the PSL new comers play in the finals of the prestigious Coca Cola Cup, the most paying knock out tournament in Africa.