Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has declared that Amakhosi will go into the Soweto derby against Orlando pirates as underdogs, despite dominating the fixture for the past two seasons.
Chiefs lock horn with Pirates in the Nedbank Cup semi-final at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Following a disappointing 2-1 defeat to other Soweto rivals Swallows FC on Monday, Zwane said he expects his side to return to winning ways at the expense of their noisy neighbours.
“It is how you respond after a setback. For us to lose against Swallows was a setback but we have learnt from it, moved on and thinking about Pirates,” Zwane said during the Nedbank Cup press conference at the Kaizer Chiefs Village on Wednesday.
“For a very long time, Chiefs and Pirates have never been in a clash in the semi-finals, so yes, we are going into this game as underdogs, because Pirates have been doing very well and we have been blowing hot and cold.
“The players know what is at stake, this is one game that doesn’t need me as a coach to motivate them, Chiefs have won this cup 19 times and we will definitely want to win it for the 20th time.
“That will be good for the team and the club, more especially for the players that are new into the set-up to finish the season on a high, which will be good for the supporters.”
With the league title already long gone to Mamelodi Sundowns, the MTN8 in the Orlando trophy cabinet and the CAF Champions League number-two spot seemingly out of reach, Zwane will be under pressure to win the Nedbank Cup and finally end the eight-year trophy drought.
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