Soweto derby fever pitch
OLD FOES: NOTHING TO MATCH THE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SOWETO RIVALS
The result of this particular clash will have a direct impact on the title race.
It might not be a title decider with a couple more games to go to the end of the season, but there is no doubt that the end result between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium this afternoon will have a direct impact on the title race.
Chiefs have been sitting at the summit of the Absa Premiership log for months now having opened up a gap of more than 12 points at one stage, but at the moment, Amakhosi find themselves with only a four point lead over second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns with the side’s sitting on 45 and 41 points respectively.
Meanwhile, their opponents today, Pirates, are third and are only six points behind the Glamour Boys with a victory over Chiefs potentially closing it to just three.
With some 10 games remaining to the League’s curtain call in May, there may still be some surprising results.
Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer however, has distanced himself from talk of any title hopes going into this match even though mathematically, Bucs stand a strong chance of beating Chiefs to the title.
The German emphasised that his objective going into this crucial match is to get something out of it, rather than coming away empty-handed and reckons Chiefs are the biggest club in the League at the moment.
“We want three points in all the games, we know it’s a big game (Soweto derby) against one of the best teams at the moment and we will do our best to get at least a point, but beter still, three,” Zinnbauer stressed.
“I think when it’s a normal game, then yes, but it’s a derby.
My players are hot, I see it in their eyes, they want to play. I hope they don’t think about it too much and find a balance.”
The Buccaneers are marginal favourites to win based on form in the last few months. Pirates have looked rejuvenated and haven’t lost a League game this year.
They come up against a Kaizer Chiefs side that has seemed to lose a bit of focus. But going into a clash against an in-form Pirates, Amakhosi mentor Ernst Middendorp seems to have done his homework.“Like each and every opponent, and, in this case, I have 89 pages on Pirates, we have done our homework and are very clear about what we pump in their direction,” said the Chiefs mentor.