Pirates, Chiefs set for crunch Soweto Derby

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will face off in a crunch Soweto Derby in the Betway Premiership, set for the FNB Stadium on Saturday 1 February 2025.

Kick-off is at 3.30pm CAT.

MATCH BACKGROUND

The Soweto Derby is always a marquee event on the South African football calendar, but this particular edition has major significance for both clubs. While Pirates are looking to keep up the pressure on Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in the title race (they are six points off the pace of the Brazilians, but with a game in hand), Chiefs are looking to fully regain the faith of their supporters midway through a campaign beset by disappointments and inconsistencies.

The Amakhosi, for example, have not won back-to-back league matches since the start of the season in September, though they do at least come into this clash in a streak of good form, having won three of their last four outings across all competitions – the most recent of which saw them ease past Free Agents 4-0 in a Nedbank Cup clash on Sunday.

Nonetheless, coach Nasreddine Nabi (who will return to the bench after being suspended for the last two matches) remains under intense scrutiny, and Chiefs are not helped by having Wandile Duba sidelined with injury. Three new transfers have arrived (at the time of writing) in the shape of Glody Lilepo, Thabo Cele and Tashreeq Morris, but it remains to be seen whether they will be thrown in at the deep end for a match of this importance and prestige.

Pirates, who won the MTN8 earlier this season, are looking to become the first team to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns in the better part of a decade in the league, and have also progressed impressively in the CAF Champions League, are unquestionably having a better campaign than their Soweto rivals. They have racked up three straight wins across all competitions, most recently overcoming Richards Bay in the Nedbank Cup.

Yet the Soweto Derby is the kind of match where the form book can be flipped upside down, and coach Jose Riveiro will not take anything for granted as his team eyes not only continued dominance over their cross-town rivals, but the prospect of a first league championship since 2012.

WHAT THE TEAMS ARE SAYING

Orlando Pirates winger Deon Hotto believes the Soweto Derby has arrived at the right time for his team:

“I can say it’s at the right time because we are also in a very good groove. Because the ship is floating well on the sea, it’s at the right time. This is one of the biggest ones [key matches in the title race] when we started preseason when we were in Spain. Our first objection [target] was always the league. So, we just need to dig deep and keep our heads up. Because every match for us, it’s a final.”

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi on remaining brave in his tactical approach despite inconsistency in results:

“If I was afraid for my spot [job], if I wanted, I could play a mid-block, play defensive, look for counter-attacks with Ashley Du Preez, who is very fast, and getting the result like that. But is it the DNA of this big club? No, we want this big club to play attractive football, attractive football means a lot of risks too. We have to build on that, we have to believe on that, we're gonna continue to improve every day.”

KEY PLAYERS

Patrick Maswanganyi, Orlando Pirates

The stylish attacker put on a show for Pirates in their Nedbank Cup triumph over Richards Bay last weekend, scoring two well-taken goals to underline his status as one of the best players in the PSL today. He will be hungry to keep up that form against Chiefs and write himself an indelible place in the history of the Soweto Derby.

George Matlou, Kaizer Chiefs

After being sidelined with injury for nine months, Chiefs’ George Matlou made a major impact in his return when he put in a Man of the Match performance against Free Agents in the Nedbank Cup this past weekend. The 26-year-old’s intelligence, composure and enthusiasm will be needed by the Amakhosi if they are to get the better of their arch rivals.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

In head-to-head terms, Pirates and Chiefs have met in 77 league matches dating back as far as 1985 (the start of the fully professional era). The Amakhosi have claimed 31 wins compared to 18 for the Buccaneers, while 28 games have been drawn.

Pirates, however, completed a league ‘double’ over their rivals last season, winning 1-0 away in November 2023 thanks to a goal from Evidence Makgopa, and 3-2 at home in the return game in March 2024. The latter match saw Bucs twice come from behind (a pair of goals from Chiefs’ Ashley du Preez) thanks to a brace from Monnapule Saleng and a strike from Thabiso Lebitso.

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2019/20 Chiefs 3-2 Pirates Nyauza (og), Castro, Cardoso (pen); Pule, Mhango

2019/20 Pirates 0-1 Chiefs Manyama

2020/21 Pirates 2-1 Chiefs Lorch, Ndlovu; Cardoso

2020/21 Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Nurkovic

2021/22 Chiefs 2-1 Pirates Dolly 2 (1 pen); Mntambo

2021/22 Pirates 1-2 Chiefs Peprah; Frosler, Mathoho

2022/23 Pirates 0-1 Chiefs Maart

2022/23 Chiefs 1-0 Pirates Ndah (og)

2023/24 Chiefs 0-1 Pirates Makgopa

2023/24 Pirates 3-2 Chiefs Saleng 2, Lebitso; Du Preez 2