Maritzburg United come to Cape Town tonight with a freaky Friday record this season, having not lost on the eve of the weekend.
Eric Tinkler’s manne will be in action at Athlone Stadium looking to reach their second cup final this season, when they face Stellenbosch for a place in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.
The Telkom Knockout finalists have played nine games on Friday and won six of them while drawing three.
It’s a pretty impressive record, even beating Cape Town City 1-0 last October on a trip to the Mother City earlier this season.
CLASH: Stellies FC v Maritzburg. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
But Stellies boss Steve Barker is planning a Friday night jol of his own and he is keen to show the opposition they can rock a Friday better than Eric Tinkler’s manne.
Barker says: “We know that Maritzburg are a good team, especially at home.
“When the draw came out, we saw this as an opportunity.
“Playing them on a Friday night away would have been a tough one for us. But it is our Friday night and it’s in Cape Town.
“They have had a good cup run and they will come out wanting to experience that again.
“So we are under no illusions when facing Maritzburg.”
PREPARED: Coach Steve Barker. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
But having been to cup finals before, leading second-division AmaTuks to the Nedbank Cup final in 2009, Barker believes “smaller clubs” fall away soon after successful runs and is hoping the same fate befalls tonight’s opposition.
He adds: “I was thinking about how many small clubs got to cup finals recently and had a tough time thereafter, whether it was Free State Stars, Baroka or Maritzburg.”
“So we’ll see how they do.”
*Other Nedbank Cup last 32 fixtures:
Tomorrow
Passion FC v Real Kings (3pm)
Bloemfontein Celtic v AmaZulu (3pm)
Amavarara FC v Super Eagles (3pm)
Vaal University v Golden Arrows (3pm)
Kaizer Chiefs v Royal Eagles (6pm)
Highlands Park v Uthongathi FC (8.15pm)
Mamelodi Sundowns v SuperSport United (8.15pm)
Sunday
Black Leopards v North West Uni (3pm)
Jomo Cosmos v Hungry Lions (3pm)
Orlando Pirates v Wits (3pm)