Eagles play host to Maritzburg United in the Nedbank Cup last-16 on Sunday, where the game was initially set to take place at the Harry Gwala Stadium, where Eagles have been playing their home matches in the National First Division this season.
However, the team this weekend opted to play in Kwamashu as the Harry Gwala Stadium is the home venue of Maritzburg United, who enjoy decent crowds, and Eagles are determined not to give their neighbours any sort of advantage in the cup.
Harry Gwala Stadium is painted with the colors of Maritzburg, who use the venue for free, with lighting and water covered by the Umsunduzi municipality after signing another three-year deal at the beginning of the season, which pays United R12 million per annum, R36 million for three seasons.
It will not be the first time Eagles have moved a match in Durban this season as the Nedbank Cup qualifying match against University of Pretoria late last year was played at Sugar Ray Xulu in Clermont.
“If you take a look at it and us playing there (Harry Gwala Stadium), whose home match was going to be?” Eagles General Manager James Dlamini asked.
“We took the game to Magogo where we are going to feel at home, where it’ll be more comfortable than at Pietermaritzburg’s Harry Gwala.
“To tell you we were told to pay before the season started (for our home league games) and we paid Harry Gwala Stadium for the entire season before even kicking the ball for us to be guaranteed. To those people we booked the venue too, they told us that if we didn’t pay then there will be no guarantee if the stadium will be available for us the whole season.
“So in Durban, football takes a front seat and if you book even when you're late, they ensure you get the place but in Pietermaritzburg, it’s a different kettle of fish. So we had to pay over one hundred something thousand rands to have a venue (Harry Gwala Stadium) to be available for us this season.”