The big week for the titanic Soweto Derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is underway, as two of the biggest clubs in the country will not only be battling it out for bragging rights but also three points that will prove to be vital come the end of the season.
Both Chiefs and Pirates enter the encounter with the stakes high and somewhat under duress from the fans to deliver nothing less than three points by the final whistle inside the Calabash following their string of poor results.
For Amakhosi, the league is the only remaining trophy to compete for this season, having been eliminated in the Nedbank Cup and the CAF Confederations Cup in a space of two weeks. So, seizing maximum points on Saturday will be huge for the club and its gut-wretched fan base.
The Buccaneers, on the other hand, suffered a major setback when they were shellshocked by minnows Casric Stars in the Nedbank Cup and were overtaken by Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Betway Premier League standings.
So, the ghosts will be expecting a positive reaction from their coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, and his side, who have been enjoying a good campaign so far.
Now, it is clear that both teams will be neck and neck on the day to put themselves in a good position for what has been a thrilling league title race so far.
Chiefs and Pirates will meet for the first time this season after that dramatic Nedbank Cup final ending, where Amakhosi smashed and grabbed the game at the death to end their decade-long trophy drought in style.
The story of the Soweto Derby began on January 24, 1970, when Pirates claimed a 2–1 win over the newly formed Chiefs at Orlando Stadium. Since that day, the fixture stands as the pinnacle of local football.
Soweto Derby fun facts
The first man to find the back of the net in this grand classic fixture was Percy “Chippa” Moloi, who scored during their clash in 1970 at Orlando Stadium.
The fastest goal in the history of the Soweto Derby came after just 19 seconds from Mabhudi Khenyeza for Chiefs in Durban in November 2007.
Only six players have scored for both Chiefs and Pirates in a derby match – Gabriel Khoza‚ Blessing Mgidi‚ Jerry Sadike‚ Donald “Ace” Khuse, Marks Maponyane, and Marc Bachelor.
The leading scorer in all Soweto Derby games is former Chiefs star Patrick Pule “Ace” Ntsoelengoe, who netted 19 goals.
Jerry “Legs of Thunder” Sikhosana was the last player to score a hat-trick in the derby in 1996, when he helped the Buccaneers produce an emphatic 4-1 victory.
Great players who have graced derby
The Soweto Derby has witnessed some of the greatest players to ever come out of Mzansi grace this iconic spectacle. The likes of Doctor “16 V” Khumalo, Benni McCarthy, Lucas “Rhoo” Radebe, Brian “Spiderman” Baloyi, Jabu Mahlangu, Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi, and the late Isaac “Shakes” Kungwane. The list is endless!
In recent years, players who have stood out and etched their names in the history books of the derby are the likes of Itumeleng Khune, Thembinkosi Lorch, and Happy Jele, who happens to be the only player with the most Soweto Derby appearances with 33 games under his belt.
Youngsters Relebohile Mofokeng, Mduduzi Shabalala, and Mfundo Vilakazi are slowly but surely getting the hang of the big occasion and will be expected to feature in it once again.
FNB Stadium
The FNB Stadium is known as one of the meccas of SA diski because of the significant history and memories it carries.
In 1990, it was the site of Nelson Mandela’s first major speech in Johannesburg following his release from prison.
The stadium hosted the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations final, which saw Bafana Bafana go all the way to win the team’s first-ever continental showpiece.
The stadium has a capacity of 90 000, with tickets for the Soweto Derby already sold out and the Calabash set to be packed to the rafters.
