Johannesburg - Orlando Pirates will square off with Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-finals, while Kaizer Chiefs will lock horns with AmaZulu.
With the draw made on Monday, Pirates will host Sundowns in the first leg, while Chiefs will also host AmaZulu in the first match. The date and venues are yet to be announced.
Amakhosi are the most successful team in the top-eight competitions, having been triumphant on 15 occasions, while their last victory was in 2014.
New coach Arthur Zwane is already under pressure after their inconsistent run in the league, but they could win the MTN8 after just four matches.
Chiefs’ performance against Stellenbosch wasn’t convincing, but they have keeper Itumeleng Khune to thank for his heroics on penalty shootouts.
AmaZulu are probably the underdogs of the competition, but they’ll be eager to spring a surprise and go all the way.
Having won against Cape Town City away from home in the quarter-final, Usuthu are proving that they can be a nuisance for any team.
Usuthu’s bosses have made it clear that they want to challenge for trophies, and this competition could be their chance to achieve that feat.
Sundowns are the team to beat in the MTN8, given the fact that they are the defending champions after ending a 14-year hiatus last season.
Their 2-0 win over rivals SuperSport United in the last-eight sent out a bold statement about their intentions to defend their crown.
Meanwhile, Pirates have regularly held the top eight trophy aloft, having won it on 10 occasions, with their last success dating back to 2020.
Like their fellow Soweto rivals, Chiefs, Pirates are desperate for silverware especially after enduring a barren campaign last season.
Coach Jose Riveiro didn’t receive the best of receptions at the club, with some fans regarding him as ‘another export’, upon his arrival.
But he’ll have a chance to prove his detractors wrong if he wins the trophy and follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Josef Zinnbauer.
IOL Sport