Carling Knockout Cup final: Players to watch from Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns! | OneFootball

Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns striker picks best players.

Carling Knockout Cup final: Players to watch from Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns!

As anticipation reaches fever pitch for the sold-out Carling Knockout Cup final, former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana star Sibusiso Vilakazi has highlighted the key men he believes could decide the clash between Orlando Pirates and Marumo Gallants.

The spotlight falls on Polokwane’s New Peter Mokaba Stadium this Saturday, where a capacity crowd will witness the two teams vie not only for glory but for the tournament’s R6.85 million winners' purse. Vilakazi’s expert eye has pinpointed several individuals from underdogs Marumo Gallants who carry the potential to tilt the scale.

He points first to the last line of defence, stating, "I mean, look at Marumo Gallants’ Washington Arubi. When they started the tournament, he made those saves when they played Sundowns, and he was very successful in those penalties."

Vilakazi also emphasises the value of seasoned campaigners, adding, "The likes of Siyabonga Nhlapo, being as experienced as he is at the age of 36, sharing his experience with the team and offloading the players. I think it will be on them to lose."

However, his most intriguing focus is on a player with a point to prove against his former employers. "When you look at Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, who has been outstanding, I think through the Carling Knockout, he started showing his capabilities," Vilakazi observed. He traced the midfielder's rising form, noting, "But I think it began when he was at the CHAN tournament, where he began to lift himself up. He will be facing his former club Orlando Pirates, and I think he will have something to prove."

Citing recent performances as evidence, Vilakazi concluded, "I’m not surprised to see him dishing out consistent performances; I mean, a brace against Stellenbosch and a goal against Golden Arrows. Those are the players to note from Gallants." With these individuals in form, Vilakazi suggests the stage is set for a compelling tactical and personal battle beneath the Polokwane lights.