Johannesburg - Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) will still be on course to defend their Nedbank Cup trophy as they host rivals Marumo Gallants at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Friday night in the semifinal.
TTM coach, Lucky Nelukau is optimistic about facing his former employers Gallants as his players look sharp and motivated, plus with the added boost of him knowing the playing personnel of their next opponents.
"We are ready for Gallants so I hope they're ready for us as well. I see the looks on my players' faces at training and I can tell they're really positive and want to bring this cup back home," he said.
"I'm very aware of their playing style. As you may know , I signed 95% of the players at Gallants so their style of play is very similar to ours."
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Tshakuma, as odd as it may sound, have been the surprise packages this season. The Limpopo based club are currently two places above the relegation zone in the GladAfrica Champions with an outside chance of still getting the chop.
Their form in the Nedbank Cup, however, has been in stark contrast to their league form. They have played some of the most entertaining football of the competition, grabbing the scalps of DStv premiership sides Golden Arrows and SuperSport United along the way.
Nelakau laughed off the fact that Gallants, who played under the name of TTM last season, feel as if they're the defending Nedbank Cup champions with a bulk of the squad that won it last season on the books of Gallants.
"We are the defending champions, the name on the cup is Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila so we are the defending champions and we will defend it again but we have to win this 'final before the final' match against Gallants."
Dan Malesela and his Gallants side will be seeking some improvements in their ranks. It's no secret that the Limpopo-based side play a specific brand of football, but their recent form in front of goal is uninspiring.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa have scored just two goals in six matches in all competitions, a return they will hope to improve on coming up against a leaky TTM outfit.
This enticing Limpopo Derby has all the makings of a classic with two entertaining teams with a chip on their shoulders, in front of an expected sellout crowd with a huge trophy on the line.
The match will determine who faces either Mamelodi Sundowns or Royal AM in the final, which will kick off at 7pm at the Thohoyandou Stadium.