Soweto Derby dominance

No doubt top of the list for any Pirates fan when it comes to unforgettable moments is how the club has been able to get the better of their closest rivals in every one of their encounters this year – three, to be precise. The first victory of the year came in the form of a 3-1 scoreline in March, courtesy of a brace by Luvuyo Memela and a Thembinkosi Lorch strike. Seeing this was towards the end of the 2017/18 season, it was the perfect way for Bucs, who were still within a shout of winning the league title, to finish the campaign. Enter the 2018/19 campaign, and a lot of Amakhosi fans reacted with excitement when Soweto Derby day arrived in late October, for there was a sense of revenge in the air. Alas, for them Pirates walked away 2-1 winners, with new signing Vincent Pule, the man who, ironically, had reportedly signed a pre-contract with Chiefs ahead of the season, being in sublime form on the day. The result was accompanied by disbelief and despair at Naturena, while joy and déjà vu lingered in the Bucs camp. It was clear to see that Giovanni Solinas’ first derby result had rendered him unpopular among the Amakhosi faithful, despite the fact they took an early lead via Khama Billiat. As if that was not enough, lightning would strike thrice, this after the two giants were pitted together in the semi-finals of the Telkom Knockout just a month later. Pirates took advantage of a poor Chiefs defensive display to put their rivals to the sword once more, Sredojevic and his technical team proving their tactical superiority over the hapless Solinas.