Kaizer Chiefs will be chasing a sixth successive Soweto Derby victory when they host Orlando Pirates for their Nedbank Cup semifinal at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The only time in Chiefs’ history they have beaten their great rivals six games on the bounce was back in 1991 and 1992, over 30 years ago.
Pirates are the team in better nick going into the game, but that all goes out the window and it comes down to who can be the stronger side on the day.
Chiefs have won seven of the last 10 derby meetings, with three victories for Pirates and no draws in that time. We take a look back at those matches.
November 9, 2019 (DStv Premiership)
Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 Orlando Pirates
Chiefs were given a fast start after Pirates defender Ntsikelelo Nyauza put the ball into his own net inside the opening minute. And they seemed in cruise control when Leonardo Castro put them 2-0 up midway through the first half. But goals from Vincent Pule and Gabadinho Mhango brought Pirates level at 2-2, only for Daniel Cardoso to win the game for Chiefs with a penalty on 84 minutes.
February 29, 2020 (DStv Premiership)
Orlando Pirates 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs
The last Soweto derby with fans before Covid-19 arrived on the scene as 80 808 turned up at FNB Stadium to watch the clash. The game was settled on the half-hour thanks to a brilliant strike from Lebo Manyama as Chiefs held on to complete the league ‘double’ over Pirates in the 2019/20 season.
October 31, 2020 (MTN8)
Orlando Pirates 3-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Pirates cruised to victory with goals from Zakhele Lepasa, Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch to give them a massive advantage in the MTN8 semifinal first leg. It was the Buccaneers’ biggest victory over their great rivals since they claimed a 3-0 success in the league in the 2001/02 season.
November 8, 2020 (MTN8)
Kaizer Chiefs 0-2 Orlando Pirates
Pirates completed a 5-0 aggregate success in the MTN8 semifinals, though the scoreline does not reflect just how many chances Chiefs created, and wasted, in this game. Fortune Makaringe and Linda Mntambo got the goals for Pirates in the second half.
January 30, 2021 (DStv Premiership)
Orlando Pirates 2-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Another match in which Chiefs had a host of chances they squandered, including a penalty miss by Samir Nurkovic, and came out on the wrong end of the result. Lorch (who loves a goal against Chiefs) and Siphelele Ndlovu put Pirates 2-0 up, before Cardoso pulled a goal back with five minutes remaining.
March 1, 2021 (DStv Premiership)
Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Orlando Pirates
Chiefs were going through ‘the most’ in this season with their poor domestic form, but still managed, eventually, to get a win over Pirates at the fourth attempt. It was a narrow 1-0 victory handed to them by a super strike from Nurkovic, though they also had goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi to thank for a number of top saves.
November 6, 2021 (DStv Premiership)
Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 Orlando Pirates
A game that came to life in the final few minutes as Mntambo thought he had grabbed a late point for Pirates with an 87th-minute equaliser, only for Keagan Dolly to score a penalty two minutes into injury-time at the end of the game and claim the win for the AmaKhosi. Dolly had given Chiefs the lead early in the second half and his brace was a dream come true for a boyhood AmaKhosi supporter.
March 5, 2022 (DStv Premiership)
Orlando Pirates 1-2 Kaizer Chiefs
A see-saw battle that saw Chiefs lead twice and hold on for the win after Reeve Frosler had given them a first-half advantage with a fine strike. Pirates were always in the game though and they equalised 10 minutes into the second period via Kwame Peprah. But it would be Chiefs’ day in the end as a rare goal from Erick Mathoho sealed the three points when he headed in Dolly’s corner with nine minutes left on the clock.
October 29, 2022 (DStv Premiership)
Orlando Pirates 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs
A derby clash that will live long in the memory, not necessarily for the 90 minutes, but rather the spectacular winning goal from Chiefs midfielder Yusuf Maart. It is one of the great strikes in derby history as he picked up the ball in his own half, spotted Pirates goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane off his line and blasted a 60-yard shot that nestled in the back of the net. That made it four wins in a row for Chiefs to continue their recent dominance over their great rivals.
February 25, 2023 (DStv Premiership)
Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Orlando Pirates
Another victory for Chiefs by the narrowest of margins and this time there was no spectacular winner, but rather a calamitous own goal from Pirates defender Olisa Ndah with just a minute to go on the clock. Pirates had been reduced to 10 men on the hour-mark following a red card for captain Innocent Maela, but looked as though they would hold on for the draw before Chiefs forced a late winner.