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Teko Modise's long wait to complete his medals set could soon be over

Teko Modise of Cape Town City FC during the Cape Town City FC pre season training session at Green Point, Cape Town on 13 July 2017 Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Celebrated South Africa midfielder Teko Modise needs just one more medal - the MTN8 -- to complete his full set, and has a chance to claim it when he turns out for Cape Town City in this year's final against former club SuperSport United on Saturday.

Modise has been one of the stars of the Premier Soccer League for more than a decade, and in this year's MTN8 final, he has the chance to finally claim the one medal that has so far eluded him.

He has won everything else on offer in the domestic game, and even has a CAF Champions League winners' medal to saviour as well from his time with Mamelodi Sundowns, but has perhaps his final opportunity to complete his 'full house' this weekend.

The midfielder had high hopes of lifting the trophy as recently as 12 months ago when he was part of the Sundowns squad that took on Bidvest Wits in the 2016 decider at the Mbombela Stadium.

However, he did not make it off the bench in a 3-0 loss for the Tshwane side, and his long wait for the cup continues to this year's final.

Modise has suffered from injury at times this season, but remains a crucial cog for City coach Benni McCarthy and a player of vast experience.

He could play a vital role on the day with his ability to dictate the tempo of the game from midfield, his fine range of passing and his vision to see opportunities in the match that others don't.

He also brings experience and an aura to the midfield and has been an inspiration to many, including another of the team's key playmakers, Ayanda Patosi.

"Teko was a role model for me when he was playing at Orlando Pirates. I was a kid at the [ASD] Academy then. Now I get the chance to play with him in the same team. It feels great!" Patosi gushed, as reported by Kick Off.

City owner John Comitis, who was instrumental in getting Modise to the club, says his signing was hugely exciting for the team.

"For me, he is the final piece of the puzzle in terms of competing for silverware this season," Comitis told KweséESPN. "Intelligent footballers are hard to come by and he is certainly one of them.

"Added to that, he can step into a number of different positions so he gives us so many options of how to play.

"With the recent injury to [Aubrey] Ngoma, we wanted to bring in somebody with experience who could maintain that high level in the team which we set last year."

Although Modise can look back on rich trophy success now, it was not always the case as the first half of his career was characterised by bad luck.

He was a SuperSport United player up until the 2007/08 campaign, when he left for Orlando Pirates.

Immediately after his departure, Matsatsantsa went on a run of three successive league title wins as they dominated the championship.

He spent the next three and a half seasons with Pirates, but left in January 2011 for Sundowns. Later that year Bucs claimed the first of two successive league title wins, but again Modise was not there to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, his first knockout final came as a SuperSport player in the decider for the 2006 SAA Supa8 - the forerunner to the MTN8 -- when he lined up for Matsatsantsa as they lost 1-0 to a Rotson Kilambe goal for Kaizer Chiefs.

He was back in the SAA Supa8 final the next year, this time for Pirates against Sundowns, but once again was on the losing side as Brent Carelse scored in a 1-0 win for the Brazilians.

In 2008/09 he helped Pirates reach the Telkom Knockout final, but a brace from Ajax Cape Town's Mabhuti Khenyeza saw the Urban Warriors to a 2-1 win.

Pirates then reached the 2010 MTN8 decider against Moroka Swallows, but although they won in a penalty shoot-out, Modise was not in the matchday squad for Bucs and so could not celebrate holding the trophy aloft.

It was more bad luck for him, but the start of a run of six trophies in two seasons that he would not be at Pirates to enjoy. He also played no part in the 2010 Telkom Knockout final that Bucs lost 3-0 to Chiefs.

The first few years of his stay at Sundowns proved barren too, before he claimed the first of two league titles in the 2013/14 season, the Nedbank Cup in 2015 and the Telkom Knockout six months later.

He followed that up with victory in the CAF Champions League in 2016, though he did not feature in the matchday squad in the CAF Super Cup win for the Brazilians that followed.

Will it be another case of final disappointment for Modise this weekend, or can the 34-year-old finally claim the one piece of club silverware that has eluded him thus far?