Enthusiastic football fans in Bloemfontein are guaranteed a double dose of enthralling action in the Carling Knockout Cup (CKC) tournament.
The first is the semifinal fixture between the Marumo Gallants FC and Mamelodi Sundowns at the Dr RP Molemela Stadium on Sunday, 10 November, and another the final at the Toyota Stadium on Saturday, 23 November.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) unveiled on Sunday, 3 November, that the 45 000-seater Toyota Stadium will serve as the venue for this year’s cup final, while the city’s football powerhouse, the Dr Molemela Stadium, was confirmed on Monday to host the semifinal between the Brazilians (Sundowns) and the Gallants, who was granted a home fixture during the draw conducted on Sunday.
The rookies of Magesi FC were pitted against Richards Bay FC in the other semifinal – set for Saturday.
The Gallants eliminated the defending champion, Stellenbosch FC, through a 1 – 0 victory, courtesy of a pinpoint header by Siyabulela Shai.
The Toyota Stadium is the second to host a final of the CKC under the current sponsor, after the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban during the previous season.
The most recent final at the Toyota Stadium was the 2021 Nedbank Cup fixture between Chippa United and the now defunct Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), which the latter won 1 – 0. The other two previous finals played at the stadium were the 2004 Absa Cup clash between the now defunct clubs, Moroka Swallows and the Manning Rangers, and then later that same year in December in a Coca-Cola Cup fixture between SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs. Swallows beat the Rangers 3 – 1, while Chiefs beat their opponents 1 – 0.
