Kaizer Chiefs is ending the season the way Orlando Pirates started it.
On Wednesday night, Supersport United inflicted the most pain on Orlando Pirates after they lost 1-0 to Kaizer Chiefs.
This was the second time United denied Pirates happiness. The first time was when Supersport United came back from a 4-1 drubbing to beat Pirates 4-3 and end their 17-game unbeaten run.
It will be the first time since November that the log leadership has changed hands, and it will the first time since the 1998/99 season between Sundowns and Chiefs that the championship title will be decided on the last day of the season, with goal difference being the major factor unless one of the Soweto giants stumble in the last game.
The fact that Chiefs find themselves in this position at all is not so much due to their ability, but rather because of Pirates’ misfortune.
Chiefs dropped points at crucial times in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) against opposition they should have beaten: Jomo Cosmos, Manning Rangers, Silver Stars and Bush Bucks. The most criminal of all was to draw with Golden Arrows, after Pirates had lost to Sundowns 4-0.
From this point on, Chiefs should have lost the league title, but the subsequent stumbles of Pirates have brought back Chiefs to contend for the championship trophy.
Pirates’ loss to Sundowns resulted in them losing their confidence. The following week they came back against Silver Stars to win 2-1, but went on to lose to Santos at the Johannesburg Stadium 2-1 and drew 1-1 with rivals Chiefs, before beating Ajax Cape Town and Wits University.
Though soccer is a team sport, no one can deny that there are individuals who carry a team to great success, and Collins Mbesuma, Arthur Zwane and Emanuel Ngobese have done that for Chiefs. The fact that Chiefs are still in the hunt for the premiership title is due to them.
Zambian striker Mbesuma has scored 23 goals now and is set to break former Chiefs player and striker Fani Madida’s record of 34 goals in the season. His sheer strength, skill and persistence has ensured him the top goal scorer award.
Emanuel ”Scara” Ngobese is the only Chiefs player to have scored against Pirates in this season’s derby. He is one of a few players from Chiefs hoping to clinch their first league title.
Scara has helped create and score goals for Chiefs in these past few games to raise hopes that they will retain the league title. On Wednesday night, the once-ridiculed player scored the most vital of goals for Chiefs against Supersport, ending United’s three-season unbeaten run in the league.
It is not only at Chiefs where Scara’s talents are recognised. Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter rates the midfielder as highly talented and it is only a matter of time before he breaks into the Bafana Bafana fold.
Winning the championship title could boost Scara’s confidence and enhance his stature in world football.
The league trophy’s destiny is now in the hands of two teams that were recently promoted from the first division: Bush Bucks and Bloemfontein Celtic.
On Sunday, the Soweto rivals will be looking to beat these teams, but Pirates will have a daunting task against Bush Bucks, as they need to score six goals and hope that Chiefs either lose their game against Celtic or do not score more than one goal.
Pirates managed to score six goals against Ajax Cape Town in the beginning of the season.
As the title goes down the wire on Sunday, the South African Broadcasting Corporation has come to the party for those soccer supporters who will be glued to their screens. The broadcaster will televise the Pirates vs Bush Bucks match live and will cross over to the matches between Chiefs and Celtic, and Silver Stars and Wits University, from time to time.
PSL chief operations officer Sizwe Nzimande said: ”It has been a logistical nightmare to prepare for Sunday’s events.”
Nzimande said CEO Trevor Phillips and a representative of South African Breweries will watch the Orlando Pirates vs Bush Bucks and Kaizer Chiefs vs Bloemfontein Celtic matches from Kroonstad. He said the two officials will be flown by helicopter to the winning team’s venue at 5pm. Kroonstad is 30 minutes away by helicopter from the two venues.
PSL staff will be stationed at various venues on Sunday — at the Johannesburg Stadium, Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein, Chatsworth Stadium in Durban and Limpopo for the relegation-threatened teams and title chasers.
Nzimande said: ”This has been the best PSL season ever. I have never heard of any season in the world where the championship decider is the last game of the season.”