Heart not enough to stop Chiefs

Ernst Middendorp gave a full-throttle double fist pump towards Rulani Mokwena after his Kaizer Chiefs side had won a thrilling Soweto derby 3-2 against Mokwena’s Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday. While it wasn’t exactly the behaviour of a beacon of humility, you can hardly blame the Amakhosi mentor for enjoying a season in which his team are threatening to run away with the Absa Premiership title.

Few could have expected Middendorp’s side to make such an extraordinary start to the season after they finished the previous campaign outside the top eight.

It was Pirates who were expected to mount the most serious threat to Pitso Mosimane’s Mamelodi Sundowns but who, instead, fell apart following the departure of Milutin Sredojevic. Mokwena’s job looks fragile and his spiteful post-match comments echoed those of Mosimane towards Chiefs this season – a clear indication Middendorp has his close rivals seriously rattled.

Pirates defender Ntsikelelo Nyauza was apparently so perturbed he headed into his own net inside a minute on Saturday and while the Buccaneers showed immense heart to come back from two goals down – just as a 10-man Pirates has done superbly to take Chiefs to penalties in the Telkom Knockout a week earlier – it was still Amakhosi who emerged victorious.

This has been a pattern all season, with Chiefs winning while others feel hard done by, and it could well end with a five-year thirst for a Premiership crown finally satiated.