Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates go head-to-head at FNB Stadium on Saturday in the Betway Premiership.
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It is the first of two Soweto derbies in the space of a week with Chiefs and Pirates also set to meet in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on May 10.
The Premiership match has plenty riding on it for both teams, for quite different reasons. Pirates are still, just about, chasing the title and Chiefs are after a top eight spot.
Phakaaathi takes a look at five things to look out for when these two Soweto giants meet.
Who will lead the line for Chiefs?
Chiefs’ attackers have generally failed to fire this season. Wandile Duba leads the Amakhosi scoring charts with six goals in all competitions, but he is suspended for Saturday’s derby.
Ashley Du Preez and Ranga Chivaviro are next best with five goals each. But Chivaviro has fallen down the pecking order, so it looks likely that it will be either Du Preez or January signing Tashreeq Morris up front for Chiefs against Pirates.
Du Preez has been more effective coming off the bench, so if fit, it could well be Nabi opts for the power of Morris.
Will Mbokazi get his Pirates derby debut?
Mbekezeli Mbokazi is the latest Pirates youngster to burst onto the scene. Mbokazi made his top flight debut in March and has now made 11 appearances in all competitions. The 19 year-old defender is even more likely to make his derby debut on Saturday, with Nkosinathi Sibisi out suspended after his red card against Sekhukhune in midweek.
Mbokazi has stepped in brilliantly since Thabiso Sesane ruptured his Achilles at the end of January and he will surely not be awed at all by the intense atmosphere of a game against Chiefs.
Pirates must find their attacking fire
Orlando Pirates are having a fantastic season. The Buccaneers have won the MTN8 and are in the Nedbank Cup final. They have also pushed Sundowns more than in a long time in the race for the Betway Premiership and they were within minutes of reaching the Caf Champions League final.
The Buccaneers, however, come into this game after a bad week saw them exit the Champions League and then lose ground in the title race with a loss at home to Sekhukhune. Jose Riveiro’s side have scored just seven times in their last nine matches in all competitions.
There were those wonderful strikes from Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota against Pyramids. But then came another blank at home to Babina Noko. Pirates’ forwards need to fire up again, even if it’s via another Patrick Maswanganyi ‘Panenka’.
Chiefs need to defend for their lives
If Chiefs’ attack has misfired this season, their defending has arguably been even worse. Amakhosi have kept just six clean sheets in 25 matches in the Premiership this season.
The central defensive partnership of Inacio Miguel and Rushwin Dortley started well, but Miguel then suffered disciplinary issues, while Dortley is out injured for the rest of the season. Then there is the goalkeeping department, where Bruce Bvuma has replace Fiacre Ntwari and Brandon Peterson as Chiefs’ first choice.
Bvuma has done a respectable job, but he was blamed by fans for the winning goal in the recent loss to Marumo Gallants and any more slip ups are unlikely to go down well on Saturday.
Riveiro can end up the most successful Soweto derby coach
If Jose Riveiro can lead Pirates to victory over Chiefs on Saturday and against next weekend in the Nedbank Cup final, he will statistically have won more derbies than any other coach in the Premier Soccer League era.
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Riviero has won four of his five derbies so far at the Pirates helm, putting him one behind former Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter. He is leaving Pirates at the end of this season, but still has the chance to go out with a bang.
Riveiro played down the feat this week, typically focusing on the team more than himself. But win both derbies and he will have written his way into the record books.
