The calm before the storm
By Herrold Lamola (@Lamola_eitcHDee)
South Africa will come to a standstill when its two biggest stars lock horns at FNB Stadium this Saturday afternoon - kick of at 15:00.
Orlando Pirates will host their arch-rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, in a much anticipated Soweto derby. FNB Stadium is expected to be filled to capacity when the two giants face-off. Although Chiefs usually use FNB Stadium as their home ground, their rivals will have enjoy home-ground-advantage.
Both sets of fans will demand that their teams deliver them the post-match bragging rights. This about more than three points. As Bill Shankly once said: "Football is not a matter of life and death, it’s much more important than that." A Soweto derby is one of those games that you can feel that this is more important than life and death. Those who back these two giants know only too well its importance.
Kaizer Chiefs have a superior record over Orlando Pirates - having beaten them 24 times and lost 13 of their Premiership meetings. The Amakhosi may also hold the psychological edge over their opposition having comfortably beaten them in the 2016 Carling Black Label Champion Cup during
pre-season.
The Buccaneers bettered their rivals in their head-to-head clashes last season with four points out of a possible six.
Numbers don't lie but a derby match is a different ball game and this game is not played on paper. Pirates have won two of their last three meetings. Bare in mind that there are no favourites and form does not count when it comes to the Soweto derby.
Some can say the derby has lost its spark - owing to the endless amount draws in recent derbies. A lot of work needs to be done before we can feel the derby fever again. Yes, it is a big match but it does not have the same fever it had in late 90s. There were players who had worn the gold and black strips of Kaizer Chiefs with pride and so with the black and white of Orlando Pirates.
With both sides boasting ball players like Thabo Rakhale and Pule Eikstein it is likely to be a great game.
Muhsin Ertugral has lambasted the recent showboating stunts but I can confidently say that Orlando Pirates supporters won't agree with him here. South Africans have no 'Showboating' in their football dictionary. Kaizer Chiefs’ loyal supporters won't even entertain his sentiment because they are known for this kind of football. The likes of Scara Ngobese, Junior Khanye and Jabu 'Pule' Mahlangu were all ball players and fans would cheer when the ball went towards them.
Pirates will have to do without fan favourite Thabo Qalinqe - who is out due to injury. Chiefs also has a star player in George Maluleka - out on suspension.
These two old rivals have progressed to the quarter finals of the Telkom Knockout and will be facing Highlands Park and Free State Stars respectively.
I am hoping to see a fully packed Soccer City this afternoon. One side will be black and gold while the other half will be painted black and white.
#SowetoDerby
South Africa will come to a standstill when its two biggest stars lock horns at FNB Stadium this Saturday afternoon - kick of at 15:00.
Orlando Pirates will host their arch-rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, in a much anticipated Soweto derby. FNB Stadium is expected to be filled to capacity when the two giants face-off. Although Chiefs usually use FNB Stadium as their home ground, their rivals will have enjoy home-ground-advantage.
Both sets of fans will demand that their teams deliver them the post-match bragging rights. This about more than three points. As Bill Shankly once said: "Football is not a matter of life and death, it’s much more important than that." A Soweto derby is one of those games that you can feel that this is more important than life and death. Those who back these two giants know only too well its importance.
Kaizer Chiefs have a superior record over Orlando Pirates - having beaten them 24 times and lost 13 of their Premiership meetings. The Amakhosi may also hold the psychological edge over their opposition having comfortably beaten them in the 2016 Carling Black Label Champion Cup during
pre-season.
The Buccaneers bettered their rivals in their head-to-head clashes last season with four points out of a possible six.
Numbers don't lie but a derby match is a different ball game and this game is not played on paper. Pirates have won two of their last three meetings. Bare in mind that there are no favourites and form does not count when it comes to the Soweto derby.
Some can say the derby has lost its spark - owing to the endless amount draws in recent derbies. A lot of work needs to be done before we can feel the derby fever again. Yes, it is a big match but it does not have the same fever it had in late 90s. There were players who had worn the gold and black strips of Kaizer Chiefs with pride and so with the black and white of Orlando Pirates.
With both sides boasting ball players like Thabo Rakhale and Pule Eikstein it is likely to be a great game.
Muhsin Ertugral has lambasted the recent showboating stunts but I can confidently say that Orlando Pirates supporters won't agree with him here. South Africans have no 'Showboating' in their football dictionary. Kaizer Chiefs’ loyal supporters won't even entertain his sentiment because they are known for this kind of football. The likes of Scara Ngobese, Junior Khanye and Jabu 'Pule' Mahlangu were all ball players and fans would cheer when the ball went towards them.
Pirates will have to do without fan favourite Thabo Qalinqe - who is out due to injury. Chiefs also has a star player in George Maluleka - out on suspension.
These two old rivals have progressed to the quarter finals of the Telkom Knockout and will be facing Highlands Park and Free State Stars respectively.
I am hoping to see a fully packed Soccer City this afternoon. One side will be black and gold while the other half will be painted black and white.
#SowetoDerby
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