Chiefs, Pirates square up again

Chiefs are out to beat Pirates for the first time in nearly four years in Saturday’s Telkom Knockout semi-final at the Moses Mabhida stadium.

The famed Soweto derby returns sooner than anticipated this Saturday, when Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates go head to head for the second time in four weeks after the Buccaneers won an entertaining league match at Soccer City.

This time it is the semi-finals of the Telkom Knockout and it won’t be played in Soweto. Instead it will be fought out at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, because Soccer City was already booked for a prayer vigil.

Supporters on both sides will be seeking divine intervention on behalf of their teams for a match that offers the chance to finish the year with silverware and set up for a positive start to 2019.

Chiefs need it more than Pirates, given they have not won a trophy for more than three seasons and that their lustre looks to be fading with each passing match.

Both clubs now only occasionally command crowds - like this derby game - and in no way inspire the fear they once did in opponents. These days the mockery, maybe somewhat unfairly, is loud.

Pirates historically have played second fiddle to their neighbours, but in recent times have begun to impose themselves. It is 10 matches now since Pirates lost a derby and nearly four years since Chiefs’ last success in December 2014.

The last clash at the end of October saw Pirates win 2-1, despite missing a penalty, in a match that produced a lively first half but then tapered off.

Milutin Sredojevich’s team will be the favourites again as they also look for a first piece of silverware under the Serbian-born coach, who joined at the start of last season and took the club to second place in the league.

Saturday’s cup tie in Durban, which has a 3pm kick off, will likely again offer a high-tempo affair but be decided by individual talent.

Khama Billiat will be tired after a long weekend trip to West Africa for international duty, but can still be seen as Chiefs’ talisman. His partnership with Leonardo Castro is still a work in progress despite the pair having had success together when they played previously at Mamelodi Sundowns.

Pirates have a more settled side with plenty of pace and exciting verve, but still suffer from wastefulness in front of goal.