Orlando Pirates must put their off-the-field problems behind them when they play arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs this weekend
Ntuthuko Maphumulo
Kaizer Chiefs are determined to replace Orlando Pirates as league champions this season, and new signing Josias Macamo has started where Siyabonga Nomvete left off in scoring goals for Chiefs.
The young Mozambican does all his talking on the field and wearing jersey number 23 (the one Nomvete used to wear) seems to have made him an instant hit with supporters.
In all Chiefs games so far he has come off the bench to score and Wednesday’s league game against Classic was no different. Macamo put Chiefs ahead in the first 30 minutes through a header from a Arthur Zwane corner kick. Lucky Maselesele, who was on loan to Manning Rangers last season, scored another before the interval.
In the second half Classic came out firing on all cylinders but could pull back only one goal, with Chiefs winning 2-1.
This was Chiefs’ first match at their Ellis Park home ground since April’s tragedy that saw 43 die in a crowd stampede. A minute’s silence for those deaths and for former Bafana Bafana vice-captain Sizwe Motaung, who was buried on Thursday in Newcastle was observed before Wednesday’s match.
The commission of inquiry into the April 11 stampede, under Judge Presi-dent of the Transvaal Bernard Ngoepe, resumed this week.
Chiefs will be hoping off-the-field issues distract Pirates when the Soweto giants clash in a BPTop 8 semifinal at FNB stadium on Saturday.
Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza has been in the news this week after tax officials raided his home last Friday. Police found an unregistered rifle at his house and the Iron Duke is out on R3?000 bail. The taxman is investigating Khoza for tax evasion amounting to R66-million.
Pirates also have a disciplinary hearing looming as a result of the fracas during their match against Ajax Cape Town that led to the game being abandoned.
There is no love lost between supporters of the two clubs. Pirates have already won one of the derby matches this season, beating Chiefs 1-0 in the Telkom Charity Cup, and the Amakhosi will be looking to make amends for their defeat.
Games between these two teams always boil down to midfield distribution and the sides boast an array of young talent, with the likes of Andile Cele, Stanton Fredricks and Benedict Vilakazi expected to dazzle supporters with their skills.
Waiting in the final for the winners of Saturday’s clash are Sundowns, who beat Jomo Cosmos 2-0 last weekend with goals scored by Papi Bhele and new signing Simba Marumo. Sundowns coach Ted Dimi-tru said: “I would like to meet Kaizer Chiefs in the final.”
Sundowns are playing an African Champions league match this weekend in Nigeria against Julius Berger. The Mamelodi side will be to trying to emulate Orlando Pirates, who were the first South African club team to win an African competition.