Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
One of the reasons forwarded for the poor attendance when Bafana Bafana opened their African Nations Cup campaign against Angola at FNB Stadium last weekend was the clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates on Saturday.
Word from the far-from-full stands was that supporters with limited pocket money wanted to retain it for the greatest club fixture on the domestic calendar and one of the most high- profile derbies in Africa. The Cairo clashes between Al-Ahly and Zamalek stand above all else with the match officials imported from Europe because no Egyptian would risk life and limb handling a match that has split families and triggered gun fights.
Next come Chiefs and Pirates, the Amakhosi and the Buccaneers, the peace-loving people and The Ghost, Kaizer Motaung and Irvin Khoza, Neil Tovey and John Moeti.
So while about 25E000 (there has been no official attendance figure) saw Shaun Bartlett snatch a late winner over Angola, more than twice that number is expected at Ellis Park on Saturday for a genuine clash of the giants.
Tradition suggests Pirates can triumph while recent form favours Chiefs in the fifth meeting between the clubs since the Premier Soccer League was formed two years ago.
Pirates won the first meeting, also staged at the home of the Golden Lions rugby team, through a spectacular close-range, near-post shot from Jerry Sikhosana following a Jacob Tshisevhe slip. Sikhosana the match-winner became Sikhosana the saviour in the return match at FNB Stadium, cancelling an early goal for Chiefs by Mark Williams with a 73rd-minute shot.
The strong influence exerted by Sikhosana and Williams over the rivalry continued the following year with Williams and Dumisa Ngobe sharing goals in the first meeting and Sikhosana and Thabo Mooki in the second. Pirates also defeated Chiefs in the second round of the premier knockout competition, the Bob Save Super Bowl, through an early goal from Nigerian Sam Pam off a free kick.
Chiefs did achieve a measure of revenge at the start of this season through a 2-0 win in the Iwisa Charity Spectacular with Zimbabwean Robson Muchichwa pushing home the late goal that sealed success. This was the only match where more than one goal separated the clubs and if someone insists that you bet your house on the outcome of act five of the Premiership play, opt for a draw.
Chiefs and Pirates, along with Sundowns, possess considerable strength in depth and the reserve teams of these club would probably beat a reasonable number of Premiership sides.
South African club coaches never divulge line-ups until they have to, which is one hour before the kick-off, and even then the media are often led a merry dance by secretive officials.
This complicates any attempt at in- depth analysis of teams who can use so many options in defence, midfield and attack. Those with tongues firmly in cheeks might even suggest that Pirates begin with 10 men instead of the permitted 11.
Why 10 men, you will understandably ask. Well, Pirates gave their performance of the season against Jomo Cosmos after Naughty Boy Mokoena was sent off during the first half.
Already one goal ahead from an opportunist near-post shot by Ngobe, the Buccaneers went on to score three more without reply through Pam, Ngobe and close-season signing Phumlani Mkhize.
Another revelation for Pirates this season has been Sibusiso Zuma, who followed Mkhize from relegated African Wanderers and won his first Bafana Bafana cap against the Angolan Black Panthers as a second-half substitute. There are also the battle-hardened regulars like goalkeeper William Okpara and midfielders Brandon Silent and John Moeti, and whichever 11 line up against Chiefs, the traditional values of commitment and dedication will abound.
Mention Chiefs and names like Brian Baloyi (goalkeeper), Neil Tovey (defender), Thabo Mooki and Thabang Lebese (midfielders) and Pollen Ndlanya (striker) spring to mind.
Like Pirates, Chiefs possess many players used to this special occasion, and coaches Paul Dolezar of Chiefs and Victor Bondarenko of Pirates can hardly offer any “stage-fright” excuses should the wheels come off. In previous clashes, Gavin Lane was always close by to keep an eye on Ndlanya, but the rock of the the Sea Robbers defence was recently deemed surplus to requirements by former Soviet Union international Bondarenko and transfer listed.
While Chiefs lie second and can overtake surprise pace-setters Bloemfontein Celtic with a victory, Pirates’s desire for three points is even more urgent as they lie 10th, six points off the pace.