The Soweto Derby takes centre stage this weekend when Kaizer Chiefs host bitter rivals Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium on Saturday May 3.
Both teams will head into the match on the back of defeats and there is pressure from coach Jose Riveiro of Pirates and Nasreddine Nabi of Kaizer Chiefs to win.
Pirates have also dominated Chiefs as they are on a four-match winning run in the derby and being the home side, Amakhosi will be required to do better, especially after losing 1-0 in the corresponding fixture on February 1.
Ahead of Saturday’s match, Afrik-Foot outlines some of the Soweto Derby stats and facts plus who really wants it more.
Soweto Derby top scorers
Former Kaizer Chiefs star Pule ‘Ace' Ntsoelengoe is the player with the most goals in the Soweto Derby, having scored 19.
Teenage Dladla, Abednigo Ngcobo and Marks Maponyane have 11 with Maponyane the only one of the six to have scored for both sides.
Jomo Sono is the Pirates player with most derby goals after scoring nine.
Soweto Derby hat-trick heroes
As big as the match is, there have only been three hat-tricks, Ebison Mugoyo, getting the first in a 5-1 win for Chiefs, Henry Khumalo managing the second as Pirates won 3-1, while Jerry Skosana notched the last hat-trick for Pirates in 1996.
Most Soweto Derbies in a single season
Chiefs and Pirates will face off three times this season but that pales in comparison to 1975 when they met eighth times in 12 months in various competitions.
Most goals scored in a single Soweto Derby match?
The Soweto derby has witnessed a goal fest twice, when 10 goals were scored in a single match, being in January 1970 when Pirates won 6-4 and in February 1972 when Chiefs won 7-3.
Who has scored for both sides in the derby?
Gabriel Khoza, Blessing Mgidi, Jerry Sadike, Ace Khuse, Mark Maponyane and Marc Bachelor have scored for either side in the derby.
Longest unbeaten Soweto Derby run
Pirates have won four straight matches and will be looking for a fifth on the bounce but the longest unbeaten run is held by Chiefs, who went 11 without defeat from May 1985 to November 1988.
Fastest Soweto Derby goal?
Mabhuti Khenyeza holds the record for the fastest Soweto Derby goal after scoring just 19 seconds in with a great volley for Chiefs in November 2007.
Coach with most Soweto Derby wins
Stuart Baxter has the most Soweto Derby wins as a coach in the Premier Soccer League era having led Chiefs to five winsand Jose Riveiro will join him if his side secure victory on Saturday.
Chiefs and Pirates’ last derby win
Pirates made it four straight wins, when Patrick Maswanganyi’s last minute penalty secured a 1-0 victory on February 1, 2025 while Chiefs are still waiting since beating the Buccaneers 1-0 in a PSL match on February 25, 2023.
Who wants it more?
Both sides want it more given where they are on the PSL table with Chiefs slipping down to ninth after going six games without a win and a defeat likely to see them drop to 10th or 11th.
Meanwhile, Pirates still have title ambitions but are 12 points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, even though they have two games in hand, and cannot afford to lose as that will end all their hopes and are also under pressure after back-to-back losses.
