Kaizer Chiefs win a trophy at last

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Kaizer Chiefs‘ trophy drought is over after the Glamour Boys beat bitter rivals Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Amakhosi won 2-1 after the scores were deadlocked at 1-1 at the break.

Kaizer Chiefs opened the scoring via Gaston Sirino penalty in the 10th minute, only for Evidence Makgopa to equalise in the 17th minute.

Skipper Yusuf Maart scored the winner for Kaizer Chiefs in the 80th minute.

The win came with a R7 million cheque.

TEAMS

Kaizer Chiefs

1.Petersen, 4. Kwinika, 84. Miguel, 2. Dove, 18. Solomons, 8. Maart, 21. Cele, 13. Mmodi, 36. Duba, 99. Lilepo, 10. Sirino

Substitutes:30. Ntwari, 19. Mashiane, 42. Shabalala, 17. Castillo, 22. Matlou, 12. Ngcobo, 5. Mthethwa, 9. Du Preez, 40. Morris

Orlando Pirates

24. Chaine, 5. Sibisi, 44. Mbokazi, 3. Van Rooyen, 7. Hotto, 7. Mbatha, 8. Makhaula, 28. Maswanganyi, 38. Mofokeng, 33. Nkota, 17. Makgopa

Substitutes: 35. Buthelezi, 47. Selepe, 42. Radiopane, 29. Mako, 27. Xoki, 26. Shandu, 25. Kimvuidi, 19. Mabasa, 18. Dlamini

BUILD-UP

The stakes rarely get as big as those that await Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs as they battle it out for Nedbank Cup honours in Saturday’s final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

What kicked off with 32 teams from the various divisions of South African football is set up for a spectacular finish with a showpiece finale.

It’s an epic curtain call featuring the country’s two biggest teams, who will be writing another chapter in the storied history of their iconic rivalry.

Form guide

Orlando Pirates are but one match away from a third straight title, with their biggest rivals standing between them and a historic feat. Their title defence kicked off just south of Saturday’s venue, where they defeated Richards Bay 3-1 to march to the Round of 16.

Victories against Baroka FC and SuperSport United in the subsequent rounds ensured passage to the semi-finals, where they overcame the challenge of Marumo Gallants to secure their spot in the last two.

It has been nearly a month to the day since that triumph over the Free State outfit, and Jose Riveiro’s troops have been kept busy by an unrelenting schedule which has divided their attention between two other competitions.

They exited the CAF Champions League in the semi-final stage after following up a goalless draw at home against Egyptian outfit Pyramids with a 3-2 defeat on the road.

That disappointment should nonetheless be diminished somewhat by recent successful outings in their domestic league, where they defeated Saturday’s opponents before overcoming Durban outfit Golden Arrows in a game played on the very turf they will be stepping on for the final.

While the combination of the two matches will have provided a useful dress rehearsal for the big date, Orlando Pirates will take nothing for granted as they come up against a Kaizer Chiefs side that will be determined to break a lengthy spell without silverware.

Amakhosi come into the fixture well-rested after sitting out midweek league action.

Their defeat to Orlando Pirates was their second since eliminating last season’s Nedbank Cup runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns in a dramatic 2-1 victory at Loftus Versfeld.

It’s a result that underlined what has been a dominant run in the tournament, which began with a 4-0 drubbing of third tier outfit Free Agents before convincing wins against Betway Premiership rivals Chippa United and Stellenbosch FC.

Having endured a run of three league games without a win while building up to the final, Nasreddine Nabi’s men will welcome the change in competition.

They will need no extra motivation to turn their fortunes around in a memorable manner as they are presented with an opportunity to halt their rivals’ dominance in the competition while ending their own trophy drought.

Team news

There are significant boosts in playing personnel for both camps heading into the final.

Kaizer Chiefs forward Wandile Duba is among those making a well-timed return from suspension, having missed the league derby.

The hosts do, however, have a key player unavailable for the match in defender Bradley Cross, who was sent off after picking up two yellow cards at FNB Stadium.

Orlando Pirates, on the other hand have a player returning from a red-card suspension, with defender Nkosinathi Sibisi back in contention for a spot in the match-day squad after serving a two-match ban.

He is joined by midfielder Thalente Mbatha, who had sat out the midweek outing at Moses Mabhida due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Key players

Patrick Maswanganyi (Orlando Pirates): The Nedbank Cup has brought the best out of the Bucs playmaker, whose five goal contributions is the highest tally this season. The goal in midweek will have added an extra spring to Maswanganyi’s step heading into the big finale against a side he has already proven decisive in beating this season.

Pule Mmodi (Kaizer Chiefs): Much like Maswanganyi, the Chiefs winger has stood out in this particular competition and will want to cap a fine campaign with a strong performance in the final. He is joint-highest in the goal-scoring charts with four goals, and the threat he poses on the flanks could prove crucial in his side’s attempts to unlock the Pirates defence.

Head-to-head

Confidence should be high in the Bucs camp after completing back-to-back league doubles over their Soweto rivals with last weekend’s win at FNB Stadium. Added to their recent derby dominance in the Betway Premiership is their most recent Nedbank Cup triumph over Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-finals of the 2022/23 edition.

However, their opponents have historical favour to bank on, having had the upper hand in Nedbank Cup finals between the two sides since their first such encounter in 1971. A total of six finals have gone the way of Amakhosi, while the Buccaneers boast two victories.

The last of these finals occurred nearly 20 years ago, and Orlando Pirates will take some heart from their success in recent cup results after posting wins in five of the last six derbies across various cup competitions dating back to the 2015/16 season.

Kaizer Chiefs only success in this period was at Moses Mabhida Stadium, where they held their nerve in the penalty shootout to progress to the final of the 2019/20 League Cup.