Gavin Lane backs Orlando Pirates to beat Mamelodi Sundowns in MTN8 final

Orlando Pirates legend Gavin Lane is hoping his former club can lift the MTN8 trophy when they face Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

The final brings together two of South Africa’s most in-form teams, with the eagerly anticipated contest taking place in KwaZulu-Natal. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00.

Lane, a member of the Orlando Pirates side that won the CAF Champions League in 1995, is also waiting to find out whether he will be in the stands for the match.

The former Pirates player said he had contacted the club’s office about tickets and was hoping to attend with one of his customers.

“I spoke to the Pirates office, and they said they would give me a ticket. I am still waiting, and I hope to become the proud owner of an MTN8 final ticket sometime this week,” Lane told KickOff.

“Hopefully, the Pirates office will give me two tickets. I asked for two so I could attend with one of my customers. If you do not ask the office for a ticket, they might forget about you. There are too many of us legends.”

Lane believes the final should attract a strong crowd and provide an entertaining contest between two leading teams.

“I hope to get a ticket for the match. It will be a very entertaining game between two of the top clubs at the moment, and there will be a good crowd at Moses Mabhida Stadium.”

The scale of the occasion has not been lost on Lane, who said the excitement surrounding the fixture made it an event that few would want to miss.

“There is a great deal of excitement about this match, so who would want to miss it? As a player, you get goosebumps just thinking about a game like this.”

He also reminded the players involved to value the chance to compete for silverware, pointing out that cup-final opportunities are not an everyday occurrence.

“Those who play should appreciate the privilege of appearing in a cup final. You do not get the opportunity to play in one every day.”

Despite expecting a tightly contested game, Lane believes Orlando Pirates will come out on top. He has predicted a 2-1 victory for the Buccaneers.

“It will be a close match, but Orlando Pirates will win in the end, 2-1,” added Lane, who is affectionately known as ‘Stability Unit’.

The match will be played at Moses Mabhida Stadium, with the two South African clubs competing for the MTN8 title.