Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates clash in the latest installment of the Soweto Derby on Saturday May 3, when the Glamour Boys will be the host team.
It will be the second meeting between the two sides this year following their clash on February 1, when Pirates won 1-0, following Patrick Maswanganyi’s last-minute Panenka.
That was Pirates’ fourth straight win over Chiefs and on Saturday, Jose Riveiro’s side will seek to make it five ahead of another Soweto Derby clash, which will be the Nedbank Cup final on May 10.
Many things have happened since the two teams last clashed three months ago and Afrik-Foot highlights 10 of them.
Mbokazi was still a ‘nobody’
Orlando Pirates have unearthed yet another great young player in Mbekezeli Mbokazi but his rise to prominence has taken place in the last two months.
The 19-year-old was largely unknown on February 1 when the two sides clashed as he was yet to make his senior Pirates team debut, getting named on the bench in the match against Cape Town City on February 22, before his first game on March 5 against Chippa United and he has not looked back since.
Chiefs in first cup final in six years
Kaizer Chiefs have experienced a season of struggle yet again but they can look forward to ending their 10-year trophy drought after reaching the Nedbank Cup final, following a 2-1 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-final.
It is the first cup final for Chiefs since 2019 and they can look forward to winning a trophy during the May 10 final against Pirates which will also come with a ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup regardless of where they finish in the league.
Pirates fans thought Riveiro was here to stay
Meanwhile, Pirates fans were not worrying about the future of coach Jose Riveiro as there were hopes that he would extend his three-year stay but he will head into Saturday’s match knowing it is his penultimate Soweto Derby as he has already announced that he will be leaving at the end of the season.
Chiefs have won just three of 11 PSL matches
Chiefs have continued to disappoint since losing to their Soweto derby rivals with just three wins in 11 league matches, being against Stellenbosch, Magesi and Richards Bay.
Even worse, Chiefs will head into the meeting against Pirates having not won any of their last six league matches, a worrying statistic for their fans, but cause for optimism for the Buccaneers.
Gavin Hunt still had a job
Another thing that happened in the PSL since the last Soweto Derby was the sacking of veteran coach Gavin Hunt, who was sent packing from SuperSport United in March, after Matsatsantsa dropped into the relegation zone.
However, that was after he had inflicted a 4-1 loss on Chiefs and also reached 1,000 matches as a PSL coach, both of that happening after the Soweto Derby.
Chiefs dropped out of top eight
Kaizer Chiefs’ poor run of no wins in six matches has seen them drop out of the top eight after getting stuck in the position for over two months.
Amakhosi are in danger of recording a second straight 10th place finish, or even lower, if their poor run does not improve quickly and defeat on Saturday is likely to see that happen if those below them win.
Rulani Mokwena had a job at Wydad
Chiefs and Pirates clash with Rulani Mokwena now among candidates to replace Riveiro as he is unemployed, something that looked impossible three months ago.
The former Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns coach officially left the Moroccan club Wydad AC on April 29, after lasting nine months in his three-year contract following inconsistent results, but by February, he was speaking about building a legacy in Morocco.
Benni McCarthy was still unemployed
Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy was still without a job when the two Soweto giants clashed, having been linked to a number of roles, but he was unveiled as Kenya national team coach on March 5, beginning a new chapter in his coaching career, after stints with Cape Town City, AmaZulu and Manchester United.
Quadruple dream was alive for Pirates
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates were firmly in the running for four trophies when they edged out Chiefs in February with the CAF Champions League, PSL and Nedbank Cup still achievable, having already won the MTN8, but they will face the Glamour Boys with one less trophy to fight four.
This is after their elimination from the CAF Champions League by Egyptian side Pyramids at the semi-final stage having come close to a first final since 2013 and winning the league also appears tough following their loss to Sekhukhune United on Wednesday.
Question marks over Sundowns in Champions League
At the start of February, there were doubts if Mamelodi Sundowns would go far in the CAF Champions League as they had been shaky at the group stage, making it to the quarter-final as second in their group.
By contrast, Pirates had been unbeaten and finished top of their group, which had defending champions Al Ahly, but heading into the Soweto Derby, it is Sundowns who are in the final and the Buccaneers licking their wounds.
Sundowns have grown in strength in the competition, eliminating last season’s finalists Esperance of Tunisia at the quarter-final, and winners Al Ahly of Egypt in the semis, for a place in the final for the first time since 2016.
