Mbunjana banks on Galaxy’s old guard to see off Stellies in Carling final

With TS Galaxy boasting a number of players who have played in cup finals before, midfielder Mlungisi Mbunjana hopes their experience will give them the edge in the Carling Knockout final against Stellenbosch FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Galaxy's squad includes seniors such as Thamsanqa Gabuza, Lindokuhle Mbatha and Vuyo Mere, whose previous experience could be vital.

Stellenbosch are a younger team who largely rely on promoted players from their youth system. This is where Mbunjana believes Galaxy will have the upper hand.

“It will help us a lot to have guys who have been in such situations playing for bigger clubs and experienced what it is like to be in a cup final,” Mbunjana said at Galaxy's media open day in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

“It might give us an edge in preparations, mentally and otherwise.”

Mbunjana, 33, said the Rockets are motivated to emulate the 2019 team that won the Nedbank Cup final when they were still in the first division, shocking Kaizer Chiefs in the final at the same venue.

“It will mean a lot to us because people, when they talk about TS Galaxy, think about 2019 when they beat Chiefs.

“From that squad, none of those players are left here. It’s a whole different squad and technical team. So it’s a whole new group who want to achieve and write their own history.”

Stellenbosch head into the final having not lost to Galaxy in all their past meetings in the DStv Premiership, but Mbunjana insists that will count for nothing this time.

“I don’t want to focus on Stellies. A cup final is rock and roll. It doesn’t matter about our head-to-head record in the league and how many times we have played against each other, how many times we have won and lost.

“On the day it’s a different game. Everybody feels different. It is a different environment, a different feeling.

“It’s about who is willing to do more on the day to give them a chance to win the final.”