A Soweto Derby of major significance
01/31/2025 10:00 AM
South Africa's Betway Premiership will have its marquee match on Saturday 1 February 2025, as Soweto Derby rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs cross swords.
The match, set for the iconic FNB Stadium, has major significance for both clubs. While Pirates are looking to keep up the pressure on Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in the title race (they are six points off the pace of the Brazilians, but with a game in hand), Chiefs are looking to fully regain the faith of their supporters midway through a campaign beset by disappointments and inconsistencies.
The Amakhosi, for example, have not won back-to-back league matches since the start of the season in September, though they do at least come into this clash in a streak of good form, having won three of their last four outings across all competitions – the most recent of which saw them ease past Free Agents 4-0 in a Nedbank Cup clash on Sunday.
Nonetheless, coach Nasreddine Nabi (who will return to the bench after being suspended for the last two matches) remains under intense scrutiny, and Chiefs are not helped by having Wandile Duba sidelined with injury. Three new transfers have arrived (at the time of writing) in the shape of Glody Lilepo, Thabo Cele and Tashreeq Morris, but it remains to be seen whether they will be thrown in at the deep end for a match of this importance and prestige.
"If I was afraid for my spot [job], if I wanted, I could play a mid-block, play defensive, look for counter-attacks with Ashley Du Preez, who is very fast, and getting the result like that," explained Nabi.
"But is it the DNA of this big club? No, we want this big club to play attractive football, attractive football means a lot of risks too. We have to build on that, we have to believe on that, we’re gonna continue to improve every day."
Pirates, who won the MTN8 earlier this season, are looking to become the first team to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns in the better part of a decade in the league, and have also progressed impressively in the CAF Champions League, are unquestionably having a better campaign than their Soweto rivals. They have racked up three straight wins across all competitions, most recently overcoming Richards Bay in the Nedbank Cup.
"I can say it's at the right time because we are also in a very good groove. Because the ship is floating well on the sea, it's at the right time," said Pirates winger Deon Hotto.
"This is one of the biggest ones [key matches in the title race] when we started preseason when we were in Spain. Our first objection [target] was always the league. So, we just need to dig deep and keep our heads up. Because every match for us, it's a final."
In head-to-head terms, Pirates and Chiefs have met in 77 league matches dating back as far as 1985 (the start of the fully professional era). The Amakhosi have claimed 31 wins compared to 18 for the Buccaneers, while 28 games have been drawn.
Pirates, however, completed a league 'double' over their rivals last season, winning 1-0 away in November 2023 thanks to a goal from Evidence Makgopa, and 3-2 at home in the return game in March 2024. The latter match saw Bucs twice come from behind (a pair of goals from Chiefs' Ashley du Preez) thanks to a brace from Monnapule Saleng and a strike from Thabiso Lebitso.
