Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns face off in the 2026 MTN8 final on Saturday evening at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Not only is the first piece of silverware up for grabs, but more importantly, it’s a chance to set the tone for the season ahead.
The two sides are already intertwined in an early Betway Premiership title race, and lifting the MTN8 Cup at the expense of the other will undoubtedly give a big boost as far as the league campaign is concerned.
A closer look at the MTN8 final coaching battle
Not only will there be an array of talent on show on the field, but a fascinating tactical battle looms on the sidelines at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Two of the top coaches in the PSL, Abdeslam Ouaddou and Miguel Cardoso, go head-to-head in a winner-takes-all encounter.
As far as previous meetings are concerned, Cardoso holds the slightest of advantages over Ouaddou, as he is yet to be beaten within 90 minutes.
Despite that fact though, Ouaddou’s side earned a penalty shootout victory over Sundowns in last season’s MTN8 semi-finals following a 2-2 draw on aggregate.
In the league, their first-round clash ended in a 1-1 draw at Loftus, while Sundowns earned an impressive 2-1 victory over Pirates in Orlando.
So as far as the overall record stands, it’s one win to Cardoso, one penalty shootout win to Ouaddou and two draws between the two.
The margins are indeed fine, but there has to be a winner when the two clash in Durban this weekend and it promises to be another thrilling tactical battle.
Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
