Romain Folz will take charge of AmaZulu’s first cup final against Orlando Pirates in 46 years on Saturday night having not won a game in the MTN8.
How strange is it that a coach can coach in the semi-final of a competition and not win but progress to the final.
Romain Folz will take charge of AmaZulu’s first cup final against Orlando Pirates in 46 years on Saturday night having not won a game in the MTN8. But it was not due to a lack of trying … He was in charge of his team’s 0-0 draw with Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 semi-final second leg at home.
So, thanks to the controversial away goal rule, Chiefs’ 1-1 draw with AmaZulu in the first leg meant the latter clinched the MTN8 final spot at Moses Mabhida. Usuthu are the rightful finalists, but surely it would have been better if the game was decided by the outright results in the end.
Football is called the beautiful game but some laws have proven to be a double-edged sword. Uefa’s decision to scrap the away goal rule was spot on, especially given the mixed views about the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
🗣️ 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗦 💬
Usuthu stars George Maluleka and Makhehleni Makhaula say the that team is feeling confident ahead of the MTN 8 Final this Saturday 🟢⚪️#HebeUsuthu#UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/9HMkX6faAL
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) November 2, 2022
The two-legged Uefa Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City will go down as one of the best contests of our generation.
It had everything, from thrills and spills to heartbreaks, with Los Blancos going on to win the tie by 6-5 on aggregate, post the era of the away goal rule.
As a continent, we need to move on with times and not be stuck in the past, especially if the exercise is not costly.
By virtue of his underwhelming track record, having only recently racked up his first win in nine matches in local football, Folz will wear the underdog tag. But every staunch fan will know that form counts for nothing in a knockout competition with the team that takes their chances set to prevail in the end.
☠️ Watch the Durban #MTN8Final Pre-Match Press Conference
📺 Available on PiratesTV 👉🏿 https://t.co/SJME8Z094C
🏆 #MTN8FINAL
⚽️ @orlandopirates vs @AmaZuluFootball
📆 Saturday, 05 November 2022
🏟 Moses Mabhida Stadium
🕕 18h00⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways
— Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) November 3, 2022
Luckily for Pirates fans, they have Jose Riveiro, who knows that cup finals are a win-or-lose situations, and that’s why they’ll have to be at their best.
“I can’t imagine one team going into the final saying ‘it’s Okay to be here, the result dosn’t matter’,” said the 47-year-old Spanish-born coach this week.
“But no, everyone has the same thing to lose – the title. It’s 90 minutes, 11 against 11. So don’t tell me about favourites and a hungrier team. That’s not true. If someone feels something like that it’s probably because they don’t know what a football player thinks about in a game like this.”
Sure, we don’t always keep up as a continent, but our beloved PSL has to lead from the front.
After all, change is inevitable for all of us, right?
🎥EVERYONE PUSHED UNTIL THE END, EVERYONE GAVE HIS BEST💬
AmaZulu FC Head Coach, Romain “Fohloza” Folz on his first #DStvPrem win with Usuthu. #HebeUsuthu#UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/Q27CaJyosi
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) October 30, 2022
