The Soweto Derby in Numbers

The Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs is set to light up our screens on Saturday as the most eagerly anticipated fixture on the South African domestic football calendar is played for the 175th time.

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Build-up to the Saturday derby begins at 2.30pm (kick-off 3.30pm) on the SS PSL channel (Southern African viewers) and the SS Action channel for the rest of Africa. It will also be streamed live on Showmax Pro.

In keeping with the status of the fixture, the TV build-up will begin one hour before kick-off.

The match is crucial for both clubs as they seek to stay in the hunt for the second CAF Champions League qualification place come the end of the campaign, while there are also bragging rights to be had.

We round up the numbers ahead of the fixture at the Orlando Stadium.

0 – Both Pirates and Chiefs are unbeaten after taking the lead in league matches this season. Pirates have led on 11 occasions (W7 D4) and Chiefs on 10 (W9 D1). It makes the first goal on Saturday very important.

1 – Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has only ever lost one game against Pirates in 16 previous meetings in the colours of the AmaKhosi and SuperSport United. His only loss was with Chiefs in the first leg of the 2018 MTN8 semifinals. He has won eight, drawn seven and had that single loss. He has also never been defeated away from home against The Buccaneers.

1 – Pirates have only lost one home league game this season in the 11 they have played (W5 D5). That single defeat came against Mamelodi Sundowns (0-2) in September. In fact, the only teams to beat them in the league this season have been Sundowns (twice) and Chiefs.

1 – Percy ‘Chippa’ Moloi scored the first ever Soweto Derby goal as Pirates won 6-4 on January 24, 1970 in the third-place playoff for the Rogue Beer Cup. It was the first meeting between the sides. Chiefs’ Petros ‘Ten-Ten’ Nzimande then scored the first own goal to put Pirates 2-0 up, but the AmaKhosi’s first strike against their new rivals fittingly came from star man Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe.

2 – There are two players suspended for the clash this weekend, one from either side. Samir Nurkovic is missing for Chiefs, while Pirates are without midfielder Goodman Mosele.

3 – Chiefs are seeking a third successive victory over Pirates, something they have not achieved since they won three in a row between March and December 2014. Included in there was victory in the 2014 MTN8 final.

3 – There have only been three Soweto Derby hattricks over the years, a surprisingly low figure considering the game was often a high-scoring affair in the early years. Ebison Mugoyo got the first in a 5-1 win for Chiefs, while Henry Khumalo managed the second as Pirates claimed a 3-1 success. The last was by Jerry Sikhosana for Pirates all the way back in 1996.

4 – Four goals is the biggest winning margin in a derby game, twice achieved by Chiefs (7-3 in 1972 and 5-1 in 1975) and once by Pirates (5-1 in 1990).

4 – Alfred ‘Russia’ Jacobs and Fani Madida hold the distinction of having scored in four successive derbies. Jacobs’ quartet came in 1970 and 1971, and Madida in 1991 and 1992. Chiefs goalkeeper Joseph ‘Banks’ Setlhodi netted penalties in three successive derbies in 1972, Ntsoelengoe scored in three games in a row in1975 and was matched by Jerry Sikhosana (1996-97) and Dennis Lota (1999-00).

4 – Chiefs’ keeper Setlhodi slotted home four penalties in derbies in both 1971 and 1972, the only goalkeeper to score in the derby.

5 – Chiefs and Pirates have only been involved in an official cup competition penalty shoot-out five times, in 1975, 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2019. But Chiefs have won them all!

6 – Chiefs have only conceded six goals in their 10 away games this season, but conversely have also only scored eight.

6 – Keagan Dolly and Khama Billiat are the top scorers for Chiefs in the league this season with six goals. Deon Hotto and Kwame Peprah lead the scoring charts for Pirates with four.

6 – The number of players to have scored for both sides in a Soweto Derby – Gabriel Khoza, Blessing Mgidi, Jerry Sadike, Ace Khuse, Mark Maponyane and Marc Bachelor.

8 – The record for the most number of Soweto Derby matches in a single season was set in 1975, when the sides met eight times in various competitions.

9 – Pirates have kept nine clean sheets in 21 league games this season, one more than Chiefs though they have played three matches more.

10 – The last ten clashes between Pirates and Chiefs have seen four wins each and just two draws, the last of which was a 2-2 stalemate in the Telkom Knockout in 2019.

10 – The most goals scored in a Soweto derby game is 10, which has occurred twice, including in the very first meeting! Pirates claimed a 6-4 victory in January 1970, while Chiefs won 7-3 in February 1972.

11 – Pirates have played to 11 draws in 21 league games this season. By contrast, Chiefs have only played to five draws in their 18.

11 – Pirates have had 11 different scorers in the league this season but Chiefs only eight (only four sides have had fewer).

14 – Pirates have by far secured the most points when falling behind in league games this season with 14. The next highest in the DStv Premiership is Cape Town City with seven. Chiefs have got just a single point from losing positions!

19 – The leading scorer in Soweto derby matches in former Chiefs Star Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, who netted 19 goals. The leading scorer for Pirates is Jomo Sono with nine goals.

19 – The fastest goal in Soweto derby history was scored by Chiefs’ forward Mabhuti Khenyeza when he netted in a 2-2 draw in a fixture played in Durban in 2007.

22 – Chiefs have scored 22 goals in 18 league games this campaign, a better ration than Pirates, who have 23 in 21.

30 – Pirates have scored almost a third of their league goals between 15-30 minutes this season, with 30.4 per cent of them coming in that phase of the game. Chiefs’ most prolific period is 75-90 minutes (27.3 per cent).

32 – Both teams have 32 points going into Saturday’s clash, though Pirates have played three games more than Chiefs.

44 – Pirates have secured 44 wins against Chiefs over the years, their last in January 2021 when they claimed a 2-1 league victory.

71 – Chiefs have managed 71 wins over Pirates down the years, including in their last two league meetings.

92 – Chiefs’ winner in the reverse fixture this season came as Keagan Dolly slotted a 92nd minute penalty. The AmaKhosi won 2-1 as Dolly also scored their other and Linda Mntambo was on target for Pirates.

175 – This will be the 175th meeting between the two sides in competitive fixtures since their first in January 1970.

189 – The number of goals Pirates have managed against the bitter rivals.

223 – The number of goals Chiefs have scored in Soweto Derby matches.