John Maduka set to make history

Bloemfontein Celtic’s Malawian Coach John Maduka could make history by becoming the first former player to win silverware for the club as a head coach.

Maduka is looking forward to his first ever cup final as a head coach after his side defeated Baroka FC in South Africa’s Nedbank Cup semi-final at Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Celtic came into the match with plenty on their shoulders, having been dominating headlines during football’s suspension with off-the-field challenges, including the club’s proposed sale.

But on the field they were a different side as they scored three unanswered goals to waltz into their first Nedbank cup final in 35 years, when the competition was then known as the Mainstay Cup.

“I think we started very well, we knew it was a team that will sit and try to hit us on the counter-attack. While we had to take the game to them, we had to make sure we keep balance on the back,” Maduka told the media in his online post-match press conference.

“We knew that on the break they can punish us, because they are very, very quick, but in the first half we should have scored more, and our decision-making up front was not that good.

The former Malawian international, who took over from Lehlohonolo Seema, last lifted the SAA Supa 8 – now the MTN8, with Siwelele as a player in 2005, and 15 years later could write his name in the club’s history books should they beat Mamelodi Sundowns in the final on September 9.

“I’m happy that we won this game. We win as a team and lose as a team, and I’m so happy. In 2005, I was a player when we won the SAA Supa 8,” he reflected.

“Again now we have a chance to win the Nedbank cup, so we are looking forward to the cup final. We know it won’t be easy but we are looking forward to that particular day.” —Kick Off

Tom Sangala

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