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Orlando Pirate players celebrate after winning a game
Betway Premiership title contenders, Orlando Pirates are oozing confidence ahead of Saturday’s highly anticipated Soweto Derby against rivals Kaizer Chiefs.
Despite a postponed premiership match against troubled Royal AM, Pirates recorded a comfortable 3-1 victory over Richards Bay in the Nedbank Cup on Sunday,
The Buccaneers are currently second in the premiership, six points behind Mamelodi Sundowns, but they have a game in hand. Saturday’s match at the FNB Stadium will be the first Derby of the season, and it will feature two teams desperate for league success.
A Derby is an unpredictable fixture, and it often produces the unexpected. There has not been much separating between the two teams in recent years.
In their last five matches, Pirates have won three, while Amakhosi were victorious on two occasions. But Pirates have been the more impressive and consistent of the two this season and their record in the CAF Champions League speaks for itself.
They beat African giants, Al Ahly 2-1 in their last group match, to extend their unbeaten run in the competition. Most recently, they also reached the round of 16 of Nedbank Cup, after beating Richard’s Bay 3-1 on Sunday.
But assistant coach, Mandla Ncikazi, says the Derby is the biggest match on the South African domestic football calendar and one they cannot afford to lose.
“As Orlando Pirates, we have prepared well, we want to perform as usual, and we want to win the game, not easy to win the match as these matches are not decided by history but one can only highlight that we played 27 games and opponents have played 17. I just hope that doesn’t become a common factor in the result, our department has done a good job in recovering data and everything. So, we prepared to play the match on Saturday, hopefully, we will perform and get the result,”
The two PSL heavyweights will also need to be on their best behavior to see out the fixture. Pirates’ goalkeeper, Sipho Chaine is currently on three yellow cards. This past Sunday, he was left out of the match-day squad to avoid the risk of being without him for the Derby. But despite the lack of discipline displayed at time, Ncikazi says the players have grown in stature this season.
“Generally there has been positive image and positive changes in the club’s setup and Sipho is no different, his growth can contribute to the way his team is training, the goalkeeper coach, a lot of factors that are happening that are positive in terms of turning things around for the better within the club, so for me generally the improvement and the structure, management, recruitment of the player is a lot of factors, I cannot highlight one factor. I agree with you that there’s been growth with a lot of players,”
The growth of the players and the confidence Pirates play with could just be what separate them from their bitter rivals at the FNB Stadium come Saturday.
