This weekend, South Africa’s focus will be on FNB Stadium, where rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will battle for three points in the DStv Premiership in another Soweto Derby.
As the two largest names in South African football face off for the second time this season in a bid to be among the country’s representatives in continental football next season, another fierce battle is anticipated.
Form Guide
The Buccaneers are currently in third place, three points clear of Amakhosi in this particular Derby, with the two teams separated by two log positions.
The visitors are in fine form, having won consecutive league matches, the most recent of which was a 2-1 victory over Maritzburg United at home.
Within a few weeks, Pirates have risen from midtable to the verge of breaking into the top two, thanks to a consistent run of results in which they have recorded four victories in their last five Premiership games, scoring 13 goals while conceding only four.
Their Soweto rivals have not enjoyed the same success over the past month, and they will be seeking to bounce back from a disappointing performance at home against Golden Arrows last Sunday.
The loss was Chiefs’ third in their last five league matches, in which they earned a total of four points thanks to a 2-0 home victory over Royal AM and a goalless road draw against TS Galaxy.
A second Nedbank Cup victory demonstrates that the Glamour Boys have not entirely lost their winning form, and they will undoubtedly be energized by the occasion.
Team Updates
The head coach of the Buccaneers, José Riveiro, will sit out the final game of his red-card suspension.
On Saturday, the Spaniard could be joined on the sidelines by a number of Pirates players who are questionable to play.
Goodman Mosele and Thembinkosi Lorch each departed the field prematurely in the previous two games and may not play, joining Nkosinathi Sibisi and Richard Ofori in the treatment room.
Dillan Solomons and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo are expected to miss the game for the Chiefs, while Khama Billiat and Reeve Frosler continue to nurse long-term injuries.
Prominent figures
Terrence Dzvukamanja (Orlando Pirates): After spending the majority of the first half of the season on the bench, the Zimbabwean international is currently experiencing a productive run in the starting lineup, contributing several valuable goals. In a contest in which neither team is anticipated to give an inch, Dzvukamanja’s ability to deliver during tense stretches of play could prove crucial.
Christian Saile (Kaizer Chiefs) was signed in January. Christian Saile has been a threat on the flank for Kaizer Chiefs, and he will be looking to make his debut in the Soweto Derby. The man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo scored his first goal for Amakhosi over the weekend and will seek to make an even greater impression in his biggest test to date in South African soccer.
Head-to-Head
The previous Soweto Derby was decided by a single goal, with Chiefs emerging victorious to secure their fourth consecutive league victory against Pirates.
This means that the Buccaneers have not defeated Amakhosi in a competitive match since January 2021.
Overall, things have remained close between the two teams, with Pirates claiming eight victories in the last 20 derbies across all competitions, while Chiefs have prevailed seven times over the same span.
The last league draw occurred in February 2019, when Lorch’s late equalizer cancelled out Daniel Cardoso’s 53rd-minute penalty.
How to Stream the Orlando Pirates vs. Kaizer Chiefs Match
Saturday’s Soweto Derby is scheduled to begin at 15:30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL (202), Variety 4 (209) and SABC1, with pregame coverage beginning at 14:00. In addition to the program, Orlando Pirates will provide live updates on the club’s social media platforms.
Tickets can be purchased on TicketPro.
»Kaizer Chiefs DStv Premiership Preview«
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