DURBAN – There's something a little weird about Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates fans. They would tolerate their team’s negative result in a competitive match against any other team but would lose their appetite and go to bed hungry if they lost in a friendly derby between the two rivals.
It is this weirdness that makes tomorrow’s Carling Black Label Cup a titanic clash between two powerhouses of South African football. The purists have consistently downgraded this game in farcical terms but not the Soweto teams’ diehard fans.
Here, we interview former Orlando Pirates skipper, Edward Motale, who is confident that the Buccaneers will emerge victoriously tomorrow.
Pirates are on a roll
If you look at last season’s form and the way Pirates played, I believe they will win this game.
They have an upper hand. Chiefs are still struggling and they are a team that is under construction. The new players are still trying to find their feet. Pirates will continue where they left off from last season.
Itumeleng Khune
The absence of Khune is a plus for Pirates. Khune is a pillar of strength at Chiefs especially at the back.
He is very influential when it comes to motivating players. He is a commander at the back. If I was the coach, I would have him on the bench to motivate his teammates.
☠ The time for playing is over. The time for football is now. 😈💪🏾
⚫⚪🔴⭐ #ChangeTheGame #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/xeCY0ST2d1
— Orlando Pirates FC (@orlandopirates) July 26, 2019
Lorch is Pirates major threat
Thembinkosi Lorch has to give us 120 percent if not 150. He was the Player of the Season (last season) and the national team disappointed him by not playing him earlier but he proved himself in the game against Egypt.
He will show again tomorrow that he should have started more game for Bafana Bafana.
Score prediction
Goals are very scarce my brother. It is going to be a very intense game. It is going to be 1-0 or 2-1. We won’t go more than that but Pirates will win. I will hate draws and the penalties. We are sick and tired of penalties.
You can’t talk about penalties from here (Joburg) to Durban but you can discuss the first goal from Gauteng to Harrismith. By the time you discuss the second goal you are in Durban, you see.
Meanwhile, former goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez played for Amakhosi and worked for the Buccaneers as the goal-keeper coach after retiring from football and believes the Soweto Derby is too hard to predict.
It will be goals galore
The derby is always fantastic. To pick the team that is going to win, I don’t know.
I think it is going to be a high scoring draw and the game will head to penalties. It will be anybody’s game on penalties.
Chiefs are under pressure
They (Chiefs and Pirates) both look good and I love them both.
They have good squads with depth. Chiefs have to win. Their fans are passionate about winning trophies, which is something they haven’t done in recent years. That is so unusual at Chiefs. It is going to be a tough game. Playing friendly games and the derby is very different. There’s no friendlies between these two sides.
🎥 Amakhosi, meet Kambole – Kambole, meet Amakhosi! #Amakhosi4Life https://t.co/L0fl2vHWWW
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) July 26, 2019
Opportunity to create momentum ahead of a new season
Winning becomes a habit when you get good results. It is very important that these two sides start the season on a winning note.
It will be a huge confidence booster for whoever wins. But you can’t read too much into the result (it’s too early). Lifting a trophy is always good.
Elementary mistakes to decide the derby
Games like these are won through small mistakes. The team that commits mistakes will be punished and that’s why you’ve got to be careful. It is a high pressure game and whoever puts a foot wrong will lose the game. Get a half a chance and you take it.