Orlando Pirates legend and former captain Lucky Lekgwathi is of the view that after suffering two consecutive losses, the Buccaneers will want to end the slump in the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.
The match will take place at the FNB Stadium, and kickoff is at 3.30pm.
Pirates are also not engaged in midweek action. And this means that the Buccaneers will be well-rested and fresh when they square up against Amakhosi at the weekend.
Tickets sold out within 24 hours
The Buccaneers will face their nemesis in one of the most highly anticipated clashes this season. The Soweto derby is one of the biggest soccer matches on the African continent. Tickets for the encounter were sold out within 24 hours.
The Buccaneers have been on a high, slaying teams left and right at Orlando Stadium. That was until their recent slump that started in the league match against Sundowns last Wednesday.
They went on to bow out of the Nedbank Cup after they were dumped out of the competition by national first division side Casric Stars on Saturday night.
Big confidence booster for Bucs
While Chiefs are engaged in a league match against Stellenbosch FC tonight, Pirates will have a bit of a rest until Saturday for the derby. And this is something that could work in Bucs’ favour, according to Lekgwathi.
“It’s going to be a tough match, it is not easy to predict a score for the derby. Pirates are coming from two defeats; they need a big motivation. And winning the derby will be a big confidence booster.
“They have some time to recharge their batteries and to reflect on their last two matches. And this could be an advantage for them,” Lekgwathi told Sunday World.
Derby about bragging rights
“The derby is all about history; bragging rights and pride will be at stake. The players know what the supporters are expecting from them. And as we all know, the Pirates coach’s mandate is to win the league this season.”
Lekgwathi, who won the double treble with the Buccaneers during his years as the skipper, explains further that the fact that both teams are competing for the league title will add spice to the match at the weekend.
“This season, Chiefs are doing very well, and they are third on the log table. And they want to challenge both Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title. It’s always nice to play the derby when both teams are very high on the league standings. It’s going to be very competitive because both teams want the three points.
So, it will be left to the team that wants it more on the day, and that team is going to win the match. But I am hoping that Pirates can win the match. So that they can go toe-to-toe with Sundowns in the league race,” he added.
He also urged the supporters to arrive early at the stadium. “There are lots of prizes to be won from the league sponsor Betway. There are other incentives for arriving early. It also helps to avoid traffic, late kick-off, and pushing when the game has already started.”
