175th Soweto Derby takes centre stage in South Africa

More than bragging rights will be at stake at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa when the highly billed Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs light up our screens on Saturday afternoon for the 175th time in history.

With reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns on course for yet another title as they sit eighteen points clear at the top of the table, Pirates and Chiefs will be keen to finish the season in second spot that guarantees automatic qualification to the prestigious continental CAF Champions League.

As things stand, the match is crucial for both teams in the hunt for continental football as Amakhosi and the Sea Robbers sit in 3rd and 4th respectively having tied on 32 points each with the runner-up spot currently held by Royal AM who are a point ahead.

Pirates come into the game just three days after a goalless draw against Cape Town which was the second consecutive league game that has ended with such a scoreline. The Buccanneers will however be hoping to get their cup form that has seen them score ten goals in three matches.

Having lost the first leg 2-1, Pirates, will be keen on preventing an embarrassing league double from their arch rivals.

“Playing well but not taking our chances is not going to give us results. The sad part for me is that we are playing against a well-rested Chiefs. It is what it is, we cannot change it. We just have to find a way of dealing with what happens,” Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi said.

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For Chiefs, head coach Stuart Baxter noted the importance of the tie as pointed to out to the crucial role it has in the race for the Champions League.

“It is not only the bragging rights or the three points that makes it special. There is also the history and the prestige that makes it more than a normal game. For all those respects we have been working very hard. The focus is on being able to come into the game in the right frame of mind so we can give a good performance. We know if we can take three points in the game, it cements our intentions and that is important,” he said pre-match.

Chiefs have had the most recent share of delight in the derby as they have won four of the last five meeting between the two sides. With the team also having 28 wins compared to Pirates 16 out of the 72 times they have met (D 28), only time will tell if they can extend their dominance.

The match kicks off at 1630EAT.