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Reigning be Mobile 2012 League Champions Mochudi Centre Chiefs will have to dispose of arch rivals Township Rollers this Saturday if they are to keep their hopes of a league and cup double alive.

FLASH BACK: Moalosi (7) goes flying during the 2010 coke final

The Coke encounter that was postponed to this week due to the national team’s commitments and the holiday weekend, will present them with another opportunity to appear in a cup final after their dream of a treble went up in smoke when Ecco City Greens knocked them out in the semi-final of the Mascom Top 8 competition.

Chiefs have had the upper hand in head to head encounters this season. They opened their 2012 league campaign with a 5-1 drubbing of the Gaborone giants. Madinda Ndlovu’s side completed their 100 percent record against their rivals with a 3-1 second round win.

Speaking to Voice Sport Chiefs’ Public Relations Officer Clifford Mogomotsi said the fixture has all the ingredients of a thriller.

“This is Rollers we are talking about. It does not matter when and what we are playing them for, the sparks will always fly. I expect a great game on Saturday,” he said.

Rollers who surrendered their league trophy to Chiefs will also be looking to reach their second cup final this season. Mike Sithole’s team is already in the finals of the Mascom Top 8, where they will square off against Ecco with P1 million up for grabs for the winners.

They are the most successful team in the history of the Coke Cup, having won it a record five times, and were the last to complete the league and cup double in 2010 when they beat Chiefs 3-1 in the finals.

The Blues will be out to silence their bitter rivals or the “noisy neighbours” as a section of some Rollers fans refer to Chiefs.

Two losses in a row against your fiercest rivals is a big enough blow, and a third would ensure Chiefs retained the bragging rights for some time to come.

Tactician Sithole is aware of the mounting pressure from fans. The former Notwane and Gaborone United mentor was not in a good mood when Voice Sport contacted him for a comment.
“My players have been with the national team for the past two weeks. How do I plan for a match when all the players are away? I’m going to meet some of them on Thursday and that is when I will be able to plan for the match,” he said.

Left and centre backs Edwin Olerile and Oscar Ncenga, together with Ntesang ‘Mirror’ Shimanyana and Tebogo Sembowa were part of the Zebras squad that took part in the Tri-Nations tournament. All the players save for Mirror played the entire duration of the match against Lesotho on Wednesday afternoon.

However Chiefs also had Tshepo Motlhabankwe, Mompoloki Sephekolo, Pontsho Moloi, Galabwe Moyana and Michael Mogaladi involved.Both teams are likely to be without their two influential players in Mogakolodi Ngele and Joel Mogorosi.

The two players have been in scintillating form for their sides, with Mogorosi winning the Green Boot award after finishing as joint top goal scorer with teammate Mara Moloi. Both players recently signed with South Africa teams.

The game starts at 15:30hrs.

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