Amakhosi favourites for Soweto Derby
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will renew their long-standing rivalry when they clash in an Absa Premiership encounter at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Amakhosi are heading into the 161st Soweto Derby as the favourites, having won five of their last seven league matches and drawn their most recent game which was against Ajax Cape Town.
Daniel Cardoso scored very late to ensure that Chiefs held the Urban Warriors to a 1-1 stalemate in Cape Town and the Soweto giants extended their unbeaten run to seven league matches.
Chiefs find themselves placed fourth on the league standings with 34 points from 19 matches. They are only a point behind log leaders SuperSport United, who have played 18 games.
Siphiwe Tshabalala, Chiefs’ veteran midfielder, is expected to further stretch his remarkable unbroken record of appearances in the Soweto Derby to 29 on Saturday.
Amakhosi will be boosted by the return of one of their key defenders, Lorenzo Gordinho. The promising central defender missed Chiefs’ encounter against Ajax due to suspension.
Steve Komphela, who is yet to taste victory in five official Soweto Derby matches, says league title-chasing Amakhosi know exactly what to expect from a rejuvenated Pirates side.
“Orlando Pirates remain Orlando Pirates. You remember when Pirates were campaigning in Africa – they were just hot during that time of Eric Tinkler. They would hit on the transition like nobody,” Komphela said.
“I have checked on him (Jonevret), he shouldn’t sit here thinking we don’t know anything about him. You know how the Europeans are,” the 49-year-old tactician continued.
“They are big on defensive organisation and also structuring the team going forward.
“Everybody is ready. It is just a matter of a selection headache for me. I hope that on Saturday, Chiefs take the advantage and we win the game.”
Meanwhile, Pirates have endured a poor 2016/17 season so far and they are winless in nine league matches – having drawn five and lost four ahead of their highly anticipated clash with Chiefs.
The winless run was recently extended by their 1-1 draw with Polokwane City in Soweto, Johannesburg last weekend. Dove Wome, who is on loan from SuperSport, restored parity for Bucs.
As a result, Pirates are placed 10th on the league standings with 21 points from 18 matches. They are only two points behind eighth-placed Maritzburg United, who have played 19 games.
Thabo Matlaba, Bucs’ influential full-back, missed the team’s clash with Polokwane due to an ankle injury. The South Africa international is likely to undergo a late fitness test on Saturday.
Swedish tactician Kjell Jonevret, who masterminded a draw against Polokwane in his debut as Pirates head coach, insists that the pressure will be on Chiefs to deliver on Saturday.
“Kaizer Chiefs have been really good this season and are probably favourites going into this one while Pirates find themselves in an unfamiliar territory of being underdogs,” Jonevret said.
“But the Derby is a special game, anything can happen. It has nothing to do with form or log standings,” the former Djurgardens coach continued.
“The Derby has its own life and I can only marvel over the possibilities but for me, there is no pressure over the result because so far this season Chiefs have been the better team and I think the pressure is all on them to deliver.”
The last two league matches between Chiefs and Pirates have ended in a draw. Prior to those two fixtures, Bucs had thrashed Amakhosi 3-1 in October 2015.