By Lungisani Mkhulise
Football fans brought their cooler boxes as they gathered with friends and family to have a good time in various public fan parks in and around the Durban city centre as the two biggest teams in South Africa battled it out in the Nedbank Cup final. In the end, Pirates couldn’t win the trophy for the third time and Amakhosi broke their 11 year-long competition curse as they won the match 2-1 taking the cup to Naturena.
Both teams battled hard inside the city’s Moses Mabhida Stadium with all three goals scored during regular time. In ten minutes of play, Chiefs were in the lead with Gastón Sirino successfully converting a penalty. Pirates responded quickly when Evidence Makgopa scored the equalizer at 17 minutes, keeping the game level and tense.
With just ten minutes till the end – it Chiefs captain, Yusuf Maart, who netted in the winner resulting in both celebration and intensity to Albert Park. “Maart showed what it means to lead. He gave us hope again,” said Kaizer Chiefs fan, Lwazi Mkhize, who was watching the game at Albert Park.
Even though it was a loss for Orlando Pirates, head coach Jose Riveiro leaves a successful legacy of trophies and a number of continental competitions. “We have had a good run, but it’s sad to see Riveiro go like this. Chiefs just wanted it more today,” said fan, Thandeka Zulu, who was also watching at Albert Park.
Despite ticketing debacles getting a lot of criticism, fan parks around the city seem to have been an incredible success. “Even though I didn’t have a ticket, this atmosphere made me feel like I was right there in the stadium,” Mkhize added.
EThekwini Municipality has vowed to keep places like Albert Park clean so Durbanites can enjoy them the way they used to in the past before they became a hotspot for pick pocketers, dangerous criminals and vagrants.
