The Soweto derby this season

Siphesihle Ndlovu and Thembinkosi Lorch scored Bucs’ goals in a 2-1 league victory in January and Amakhosi defender Daniel Cardoso scored the consolation.

Pirates:

Pirates have Lorch with most assists (3) this season and Vincent Pule and Deon Hotto are the leading scorers with four goals each.

Chiefs:

Khama Billiat, who suffered a leg fracture in January, has the most assists for Chiefs with three and Leonardo Castro, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Lebogang Manyama are the leading scorers with three goals each.

Facts and figures in previous results since 1996-1997:

Before today’s match, there have been 49 Soweto derby league matches between Pirates and Chiefs since the maiden PSL season in 1996-97.

Of those, Chiefs, hosts of today’s match, went six matches and three seasons before they registered their first league win over Bucs, winning 2-1 in the second round in February 1999. The late Thabang Lebese scored a brace for Amakhosi and Sibusiso Zuma scored a consolation for the Sea Robbers.

Pirates won the first ever PSL league match against Chiefs, their 1-0 in January 1997 courtesy of Jerry Sikhosana’s solitary strike.

Chiefs have emerged winners 13 times, once more than their rivals’ 12 victories.

Twenty-four matches have ended in stalemates. Fourteen of those draws were 1-1. Seven ended 0-0. Three finished 2-2.

The biggest win in league matches was Pirates 3-0 win over Amakhosi in the 200102 season when the late Lesley Manyathela scored a brace before Benedict Vilakazi sealed Bucs’ victory.

Only once have five goals been scored between these archrivals — in March 2013 when Bucs beat Chiefs 3-2, with Benni McCarthy banging in two. Andile Jali added a third. Chiefs scored through Siphiwe Tshabalala and Lehlohonolo Majoro.

Chiefs completed a league double over Bucs in 2005-06. They went on to finish third behind Mamelodi Sundowns and Pirates on the log table.

Pirates also did the league double over Chiefs in 2008-09.

Bucs skipper Happy Jele will come close to equalling Siphiwe Tshabalala’s record of 31 matches in the Soweto derby if he plays his 30th derby match today.

Today’s match will be the second Soweto derby league match to be played without fans since the outbreak of the coronavirus.