There will be a battle for the ages when Orlando Pirates host Moroka swallows in the original Soweto Derby in the DStv Premiership on Tuesday, as both sides seek to put pressure on the clubs at the top of the table. Catch the action live on SuperSport at 7pm CAT.
HERE ARE FIVE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR:
Birds lead Pirates in the table
Swallows go into the fixture two points ahead of Pirates on the DStv Premiership table, with both clubs having played 11 games so far. The Birds could rise as high as fourth with a win, while Pirates will leapfrog their opponents in sixth if they are victorious. Only Mamelodi Sundowns (9) have played fewer games this season than these two Soweto sides, meaning they have a minimum of one game in hand on their rivals, but in several cases, two.
Pirates hold the edge
There have been seven meetings between the sides since Swallows returned to the topflight, with Pirates winning three of those to go with one victory for The Birds and three draws (all 1-1). Pirates had a thumping 4-1 success the last time the teams met in March, when Monnapule Saleng scored a hattrick against his former side. The teams have met 84 times since the formation of the National Soccer League in 1985, with Pirates leading the head-to-head 33-18 and another 33 games drawn. Pirates have outscored their opponents 106-77.
Komphela has point to prove
Current Swallows coach Steve Komphela was a stalwart as a player for Kaizer Chiefs, Pirates’ other bitter Soweto rivals. He later coached the AmaKhosi, as well as several other clubs in the South African topflight. He was involved in eight Soweto Derby games versus The Buccaneers while at Naturena but did not manage a single outright victory. Five of them ended in draws to go with three defeats. One of those stalemates was in the 2015 Telkom Knockout semifinals, where Chiefs triumphed 6-5 on penalties, but the match result is still recorded as a draw.
Bucs becoming ‘Drawlando Pirates’
Pirates have drawn five of their last nine games in all competitions (W3 L1), with four of those stalemates ending 0-0. During that time they have managed to score six goals, which is really where their woes lie. They are defensively sound, but after a fast start to the campaign in the scoring stakes, the goals have dried up. They lost two games back-to-back at home in September, but those are their only defeats on their own patch in their last 17 games at the Orlando Stadium (W12 D3).
Swallows hit a speed bump
Swallows have had a fine season to date but have had a mixed time of it in their last five games, where they have won just once to go with two draws and two defeats. Their last game was a 1-0 November 26 defeat to their other Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs. The goals have also dried up for them with only two scored in those five games. Not that they have far to go, but they have been good travelers this year and along with Mamelodi Sundowns are yet to lose an away game (W2 D2) in the league this campaign. Their last defeat on the road in the topflight was 3-0 at Stellenbosch FC in April, their only loss in 10 months (W6 D2 L1).