SuperSport United and Highlands Park are set to do battle in the MTN8 final for the first time when they meet at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.
SuperSport are appearing in the MTN8 final for the third year in a row, the first time a club has achieved this. They also appeared in three finals between 2004 and 2006. The other teams to do so are Kaizer Chiefs (1974-76) and Orlando Pirates (1978-80).
Both the previous two finals were played against Cape Town City. SuperSport won in 2017 when they triumphed 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, but lost a year later as City won 4-1 on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate.
Highlands are appearing in their first-ever final under the guise of the current club, though a team also named Highlands Park appeared in the 1983 two-legged decider against Orlando Pirates. The first leg ended 0-0 and Pirates won the second 2-0.
Both coaches, Owen de Gama (Highlands Park) and Kaitano Tembo (SuperSport United) are seeking to win this trophy for the first time. Da Gama lifted the Telkom Knockout in 2006, while Tembo has yet to win a trophy of any sort.
SuperSport have won two (2004 and 2017) of the six MTN8 competition finals they have appeared in – a conversion rate of only 33%. Victory on Saturday would take them level with Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka Swallows and Bidvest Wits as the third-most successful clubs in the history of the competition with three wins each. Kaizer Chiefs (15) and Orlando Pirates (9) make up the top two.
Highlands have reached the final by scoring only one goal in their three games, with Wayde Jooste striking in a 1-0 away win over Orlando Pirates. Both semi-finals against Polokwane City ended 0-0 before Highlands triumphed 4-3 on penalties.
SuperSport, by contrast, have been fairly prolific. They secured a handsome 3-0 win over Bidvest Wits in the quarter-finals, before 1-1 and 2-0 results against Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-finals.
Thamsanqa Gabuza has been SuperSport’s most deadly striker in the competition with three goals. He is also the tournament-leading scorer. Bradley Grobler, Teboho Mokoena and Jamie Webber have been the other players to find the back of the net for Matsatsantsa.
Highlands’ win over Pirates in the quarter-finals was their first-ever victory in a knockout competition in the current guise of the club, though they did beat AmaZulu on penalties after playing to a 1-1 draw in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup last season. After two draws in the semi-finals, it remains their only knockout win.
Current Highlands assistant coach Allan Freese won the MTN8 while head coach of Platinum Stars in 2013 when they defeated Pirates on penalties in the final.
SuperSport are on a current run of only one defeat in their last nine games (W5, D3, L1). That defeat was a surprise 3-1 reversal at the hands of Polokwane City on 21 September, the team that Highlands defeated in the MTN8 semi-finals.
SuperSport have scored at least one goal in every one of their last nine games. The only time they haven’t scored this season was in their league opener against Mamelodi Sundowns, when they went down 2-0 away from home.
Highlands are unbeaten in their last eight games in all competitions (W4, D4), with their only defeat this season coming in their opening match of the campaign at home by Kaizer Chiefs. Highlands lost that match 3-2, but since then have conceded only four goals in eight games, and never more than one in a single match.
Highlands have managed at least one goal in every match this season, bar their two MTN8 semi-finals against Polokwane City that finished 0-0.
Highlands and SuperSport have met on four previous occasions, all in the league in the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons.
SuperSport lead the head to head 2-1, with a single draw, though Highlands did win the last encounter after claiming a 2-0 success on the final day of last season on 11 May. Peter Shalulile and Lindokuhle Mbatha were on target on that occasion.
Former SuperSport striker Jeremy Brockie is the only player to net twice in this fixture when he scored a brace in SuperSport’s biggest victory, a 4-1 success in the 2016-17 season.
SuperSport won both encounters in that opening season, but did not manage a win against Highlands in the 2018-19 campaign as their first meeting in Tembisa was drawn and Highlands won 2-0 away.
Highlands have recently signed former SuperSport defender Reneilwe Letsholonyane, and have a number of other former Matsatsantsa players in their squad, including defender Bevan Fransman and midfielder Enocent Mkhabela.
