United have tormented local giants Chiefs like no other team over the years and appear well on track to continue with that trend. Just a little less than two months ago, United scored their biggest win against their rivals - a 1-0 result and a R1.2 million prize money in the SAA Supa 8 final in Durban. On the occasion United were pretty much outclassed on the field and outnumbered in the stands but Matsatsantsa were not overawed, as they kept their cool to do the job.

They are almost guaranteed to be outnumbered yet again this time around but certainly not intimidated. United go into this final on the back of a 2-0 defeat against early title hopefuls Orlando Pirates while Chiefs must be in high spirits following their 3-0 win at Black Leopards.

Chiefs, as defending champions, have appeared in the last three Coca-Cola Cup finals, winning twice, and will hope to win it for the third time, a feat no other team has ever achieved. That will also hand them the original trophy.

It has certainly not been smooth sailing for the Glamour Boys en route to the 2004 Coke Cup final and they tantalisingly came close to an exit in the semifinals only for goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez to pull a rabbit out of his hat - three superb penalty saves to guarantee them a place in the final.

Fernandez seems finally to have won over the hard-to-please Amakhosi fans, especially with that heroic act in the penalty shoot-out against Swallows.

With players like Kabamba Musasa, David Radebe and, of course the two scorers against Swallows and prolific scorer, Collins Mbesuma, in their side, Chiefs must fancy their chances to win.

However, again, it seems unlikely that Chiefs will retain their trophy without any extra effort, as their opponents in the final, Matsatsantsa, have once already shown the Amakhosi that they are not particularly impressed by the reputation of their opponents.

Like Chiefs, United had a more than difficult path into the Coke Cup final. Drawn against Wits University, both sides failed to score in the 120 minutes of play. Like in the Chiefs game, United keeper, Calvin Marlin, proved to be the match-winner for his side as he stopped the penalty of Wits' Thierry Mouyouma and also saw Etienne Bito's blast his over the bar for the Clever Boys.

United coach Pitso Mosimane said after the victory against Wits that his side had not had an easy passage into the final. "It was a tough and disciplined game, because no one wanted to give it away. We were fortunate enough because the secret in our penalty shoot-out came to our rescue."

"I think we were mentally and physically better than Wits. But most of all I want to congratulate Chiefs for winning the semifinal," he said.

He added that games like the one against Chiefs would show what his side is made of. "I think this will test what we are made of; it is football at the end of the day. We need to think on our toes, but we normally rise to the occasion in situations of this nature."

All of that suggests that soccer fans lucky enough to be able to secure a ticket for this great match are in for the treat of their life.