The last instalment of the DStv Premiership fixtures before the league takes a break for this year’s Fifa World Cup will be headlined by one of the most enterprising fixtures in African football – the Soweto Derby.

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs clash on Saturday, in front of an anticipated capacity crowd at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. It will be the first derby played in front of a full crowd since the onset of Covid-19 in 2020. This has injected the fixture with additional allure and fervour, from both the players’ and spectators’ perspective.

As the country navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and various facets of life were subject to stringent restrictions during lockdown, the Soweto sides met six times.

Referee Thando Nzdandzeka stops a fight between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates players at FNB Stadium on 9 November 2019. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)

Four of those tussles took place in the Premiership and two in the MTN8 semifinals. Chiefs lost the two-legged MTN8 semi, but won three of the four league games. With that they extended their overall head-to-head wins to 72 versus Pirates’ 44 over the decades.

Consistently inconsistent

This season, both sides have been plagued by inconsistency. In fact, throughout the past few seasons both Soweto giants have been guilty of this vice. For Pirates, it led to a six-year trophy drought, which they eventually snapped when they won the MTN8 in 2020.

For Amakhosi, their misery continues. The Naturena-based side is now in its seventh year without a major trophy. That run is set to continue for at least another few months, as they were recently ousted from 2022 MTN8 last four by AmaZulu.

In contrast, the Buccaneers secured their second semi spot in three seasons in the top eight competition by thrashing Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 in their semifinal encounter.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Chiefs and Pirates on equal footing heading into Soweto derby”

On the league table the rivals are separated by a single point after 12 games played apiece, with Pirates on 19 points and Chiefs on 18. Log leaders Sundowns are on 25 despite having played a game less than the duo.

As such, each knows how important maximum points will be in this historic encounter, in addition to the bragging rights.

The Buccaneers will be buoyed by that emphatic result over Masandawana, which came on the back of a 2-0 triumph versus Golden Arrows. Against their bitter rivals, the Sea Robbers will be keen to ride this wave and best their neighbours.

Khama Billiat of Kaizer Chiefs and Xola Mlambo of Orlando Pirates in action at FNB Stadium on 9 November 2019. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)

For Chiefs and their coach, Arthur Zwane (who coincidentally played for both sides before his retirement), the pressure is immense. Amakhosi are winless in their past three matches, with two draws and a defeat.

Following their exit from the MTN8, a former player lamented the lack of personality in the current Chiefs squad.

Doctor Khumalo, speaking as an analyst on SABC Sport recently, lamented the fact that none of the current players has the “x-factor” to drag the team back into matches, as was the case in his generation and before.  

“This is Kaizer Chiefs, if you don’t know it. If you don’t know, ask those who’ve been there, and they will tell you what it takes to wear that jersey,” Khumalo stated.

“You don’t just come in there because you want to be seen in the Kaizer Chiefs badge. Who it means most to are the people who are at the stadium and at home… Just put a smile on their face.”

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Nevertheless, the Amakhosi faithful can take solace from the fact that their side has generally come out on top in duels between the two outfits over the years. The teams have faced each other 52 times in Premiership games during the Premier Soccer League (PSL) era.

Amakhosi edge the head-to-head standings once more, with 16 wins to Pirates’ 12. The other 24 encounters have ended in stalemates.

Fans light up FNB Stadium during the clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates on 9 November 2019. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)

This is why Pirates goalkeeper Richard Ofori says he and his teammates will not head into the clash looking down on Chiefs, despite their recent shortcomings.

Read in Daily Maverick: “Football and Society: The Soweto Derby”

“We are prepared, and we are staying calm. We are professionals – that’s why we are humble. You can’t write off a big team. Things might not be going well for them (Chiefs), but they are still a big team,” Ofori told journalists this week.

“After playing a 0-0 draw with AmaZulu [and exiting the MTN8 as a result], they are looking to make their fans proud. So, we know how important the game is for both teams.” 

The derby dual kicks off at 3.30pm on Saturday. DM