The Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs is always a fixture to fire the imagination and reputations have been forged on the back of performances in the historic fixture over the last 52 years.
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This weekend can be no different, with the players able to write their names into Soweto Derby folklore when the teams clash at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
SuperSport.com looks back at 10 players who have done just that, not just with goals but also outstanding performances in meetings between the sides over the years.
ROD ANLEY:The finest hour for the Buccaneers in the history of the derby clash was their biggest winning margin over Chiefs, a 5-1 triumph in 1990. Not only did Chiefs suffer a major humiliation against their archrivals but the result effectively ended any chance they had of catching up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the title chase. Pirates were playing under stand-in coach Johannes ‘Skipper’ Khomane after Dave Roberts had been fired five weeks earlier. Anley capped an outstanding performance with the last two goals in the 69th and 81st minutes. Chiefs’ defence had been virtually nonexistent, especially after Mark Tovey had been dropped.
NELSON DLADLA:The 1976 league match played at KwaThema that was an emotive meeting just weeks after the death of Ewert Nene and made even more poignant because it was marked the debut of Dladla. Chiefs took an early lead through Ebison Mugoyo, whose goal was set up by ‘Shaka’ Ngcobo’s cross from the left wing. Dladla set up the second for Mugoyo, who drove home a powerful shot. As if inspired by the memory of Nene, Chiefs dominated throughout the game, so much so that goalkeeper Banks Setlhodi only made two saves throughout the 90 minutes.
MABHUTI KHENYEZA:The striker spent only one season at Chiefs but what an impact he made in the derby when the match was moved to Durban to offer visitors a glimpse of the best of South African league football on the eve of the preliminary draw for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. It was also screened on Eurosport for the first time. And what a show they are given at a packed King’s Park when Khenyeza scored after just 19 seconds. The game was kicked off by Franz Beckenbauer and French World Cup winner Christian Karembeu but they were quickly forgotten in a dream start for AmaKhosi. It was not only the fastest goal in the derby but also the quickest in the Premier Soccer League.
HENRY KHUMALO:Second-half substitute ‘Mtofi’ Khumalo was given a heroes’ reception at the end of the second leg of the 1981 Champions of Champions final at the Orlando Stadium after engineering a remarkable victory for Pirates, who were two goals down on aggregate before he was brought on and changed the outcome of the game. Not even the most die-hard of Pirates’ fans believed a comeback was possible but Khumalo, who had not exactly set Pirates alight since his move from Durban two years previously, turned the result right around. Kagiso Mogale provided the first for Khumalo in the 64th minute with a defence-splitting pass and he got his second soon after. Jingles Pereira handled the ball to present Pirates with a chance to win the trophy in the final minute of the game, a penalty which Khumalo duly converted to set off jubilant scenes of celebration.
FANI MADIDA:Chiefs came back from two goals down to win a thrilling Coca-Cola Cup first round game after extra time in 1992. The game turned just 12 minutes from the end when Bernard Lushozi handled in the box and referee Stan Swart awarded Chiefs a spot kick, from which Madida made no mistake with a low drive to the right hand corner of Pirates’ goal. As Chiefs still looked vulnerable, so they grabbed a dramatic equaliser on the final whistle when Albert Bwalya went sliding in and hit a half volley into the net. In extra time, Donald Khuse set up Chiefs’ winner by beginning a marvellous inter change of passes. Johannes Phadime looped the ball into the box and Doctor Khumalo headed it on for Madida to finish.
LESLEY MANYATHELA:The young striker, who tragically passed away in car crash in 2003, put his individual seal on the derby in December 2001 when he showed his increasing maturity and deadly composure by twice tucking the ball beyond Brian Baloyi from close range. The first goal came in the 22nd minute and his second 50 minutes later as Pirates went on to post a 3-0 win against a struggling Chiefs.
MARKS MAPONYANE:In October 1994, Maponyane joined an elite band who had scored in the derby in the colours of both sides. Before him only Blessing Mgidi, Jerry Sadike and Donald ‘Ace’ Khuse had achieved the feat. A 2-0 victory edged Pirates closer to what was to a championship win. Pirates scored first in the 36th minute when Maponyane crossed for Marc Batchelor to deliver a spectacular diving header. Three minutes later Maponyane could have made it 2-0 but face to face with Steve Crowley he hesitated and allowed the ‘keeper to regain his balance and tip his shot over the top. Referee Raymond Rogers awarded Pirates a penalty some 15 minutes from the end when Rudolph Seale brought down Maponyane. The veteran too the responsibility but was forced to take it twice before sealing up the result.
DAVID OBUA:In the 2005/2006 season, the Ugandan international scored in successive matches for Chiefs. The first at Soccer City as Chiefs won 2-0 with AmaKhosi getting off to a pulsating start and never looking back after Obua volleyed home Thabo Mooki’s corner after just four minutes. It was one of the best-ever derby goals. Two months later, Obua got the only goal of the game as Chiefs won 1-0. This time he scored with a smart header at the end of Dikheto Mototo’s free kick.
JERRY SIKHOSANA:In the 1996 BoB Save Super Bowl semifinal, Sikhosana scored the first hat-trick in 15 years in the derby match as he catapulted Pirates to the cup final. The hat-trick was completed by the 47th minute and remains the last in the Derby. It was one of the best games of the season but the Buccaneers could have had eight goals and gave Chiefs the same sort of run around in the last 10 minutes that Chiefs were used to dishing out to other teams. Sikhosana opened the score in the 18th minute and made it 2-0 just before halftime. Then he got his third before David Modise pulled one back for a shell shocked AmaKhosi. Helman Mkhalele made it four for Pirates in the 76th minute. Pirates went on to beat Jomo Cosmos in the final three weeks later.
JOMO SONO:Schoolboy wizard Sono was the hero of the day as Pirates took the points with a second-half winner from Alfred ‘Russia’ Jacobs in their league meeting in 1972. Sono was carried high on the shoulders of the supporters after the win and the fans formed a guard of honour for the Pirates players as they left the stadium after the game. Sono and MacDonald Skosana both had chances in the first 10 minutes but were denied by Setlhodi. Chiefs lacked their customary flair but were still able to score the first goal. Goalkeeper Setlhodi netted a penalty for Chiefs but an equaliser followed soon after when Jacobs fed Blessing Mgidi, who in turned passed diagonally for Skosana to rattle the back of the net. Mgidi missed a sitter after halftime but Jacobs finally ensured the lead for Pirates, when he unleashed a long-range shot. Sono then kept the crowd dazzled until the final whistle.