A-Z of the Soweto Derby

The Soweto Derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates headlines the DStv Premiership action this weekend as the old foes go head-to-head for the 179th time in all competitions. Here is our A-Z of one of the leading local derbies in the world.

A – The leading scorer in all Soweto Derby games is former Chiefs star Pule ‘ACE’ Ntsoelengoe, who netted 19 goals. It is a record that is unlikely to ever be beaten. Players that score that regularly generally move overseas these days.

B – Stuart BAXTER has the most Soweto Derby wins as a coach in the Premier Soccer League era having led Chiefs to victory on five occasions.

C – Alfred ‘Bomber’ CHAMANE became the first player to switch between the two clubs once they were both established, as he moved from Chiefs to Pirates in 1971.

D – DONALD ‘Ace’ Khuse played for both clubs in his illustrious career, starting at Pirates before making the switch to Chiefs via Mamelodi Sundowns. He became a legend with the AmaKhosi and almost single-handedly won several Soweto Derby matches.

E – The record for the most number of Soweto Derby matches in a single season is EIGHT in 1975. It is hard to see how that record will ever be beaten. The teams would have to meet in the league (twice), MTN8 semifinals (twice), Carling Knockout, Nedbank Cup, CAF club competition (twice) and perhaps the African Football League or CAF Super Cup. Seems unlikely …

F – Mabhuti Khenyeza holds the record for the FASTEST Soweto Derby goal as he netted after only 19 seconds for Chiefs in a 2-2 draw in Durban in 2007.

G – GOALKEEPER Banks Setlhodi slotted four penalties in Soweto Derby matches between 1971 and 1972, and is the only gloveman to score in clashes between the two sides. H – HENRY Khumalo was a Soweto Derby hero as he engineered a remarkable comeback for Pirates in the 1981 Champions of Champions final. The Buccaneers were 2-0 down when he came off the bench. After netting his first on 64 minutes, he went on to score a hattrick as Pirates won 3-2.

I – Pirates defender INNOCENT Maela was the last man to be sent off in a Soweto derby when he received his marching orders in the 1-0 win for Chiefs in February of this year. Given the ferocity of the battle, it is not a fixture that has all that many red cards.

J – JERRY Sikhosana was the last player to score a hattrick in a Soweto Derby when he netted a treble for Pirates in a thumping 4-1 win for The Buccaneers in the 1996 BoB Save Super Bowl semifinals. K – KAIZER Motaung was the founding father of Chiefs after leading a breakaway from Pirates in the late 1960s. He gave his name to the new club, along with his former NASL team, the Atlanta Chiefs.

 L – Pirates striker LESLEY Manyathela was just 20 when he became a Soweto Derby hero, netting twice past Brian Baloyi in the Chiefs goal in a thumping 3-0 win for The Buccaneers in 2001.

He tragically died in a car accident aged 21.

M – MARKS MAPONYANE was a Soweto Derby hero for both Pirates and Chiefs having netted for either side following spells at each of the clubs. Only Gabriel Khoza, Blessing Mgidi, Jerry Sadike, Ace Khuse and Marc Bachelor have matched his feat.

N – The last seven meetings between these sides have been won by a NARROW single goal margin, showing how tight the clashes have been. Chiefs have won five of those to go with two Pirates successes.

O – Pirates defender Olisa Ndah is the last man to score an OWN goal in a Soweto Derby when he put the ball into the back of his net late on in the 1-0 win for Chiefs in February this year.

P – 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.

Q – Jonathan QUARTEY is one of six Ghana players to feature in the Soweto Derby, the fourth most of any nationality other than South Africa. Only Zimbabwe (23), Zambia (11) and Nigeria (9) have had more representation. R – Alfred ‘RUSSIA’ Jacobs holds the distinction of having scored in four successive Soweto Derbies between 1970 and 1971, a record he holds with Fani Madida (1991-1992)

S – Jomo SONO is the record scorer for Pirates in the Soweto derby with nine career goals. A schoolboy wizard, he was a thorn in the side of the AmaKhosi for many years.

T – Former Chiefs winger Siphiwe TSHABALALA holds the record for most Soweto Derby appearances with 31 between 2007 and 2018.

U – The most UNEVEN contests between the two teams came in a 7-3 win for Chiefs in 1972, followed by a 5-1 success for the AmaKhosi in 1975 and a 5-1 victory for Pirates in 1992. V – The VENUE to host the most Soweto Derby matches down the years is FNB Stadium with 73, followed by the Orlando Stadium (63). There have been 15 grounds used in all.

W – Chiefs have the most WINS in this fixture with 74 down the years compared to 45 for Pirates.

X – Tapelo XOKI will be a key man for Pirates on Saturday, both as a defensive rock, leader at the back and potentially penalty or free-kick taker. He is deadly from the set-piece.

Y – YUSUF Maart’s winner for Chiefs in the first Derby meeting last season came from 60 yards, one of the best goals in the history of the fixture. Records from the early days are not that detailed, but it is hard to think of a Derby goal scored from a longer distance.

Z – Arthur ZWANE (Chiefs) and Eric Tinkler (Pirates) are the only South African coaches to have collected two Derby wins in the PSL era.