JOHANNESBURG - The Soweto derby still makes our hearts skip a few beats and this afternoon will see the 100th clash in the league between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
Matshelane Mamabolo has seen quite a few of those and he picks his five favourite derbies.
November 3, 1990
Orlando Pirates 5 Kaizer Chiefs 1
Stories of shebeens in Orlando selling beer for a song when the Buccaneers have won the derby abound. But it doesn’t only happen in Soweto. Out in Lebowakgomo where I grew up, we had one in our neighbourhood and the old lady was a huge Pirates fan and boy did the beer flow after this solid Pirates victory.
ALSO READ: Why Orlando Pirates should win the derby
Of course, I didn’t have any – I was too young. But having watched Pirates toy with Amakhosi brought great delight and the lingering memory from this match was of Rod Anley trying to do a dance after completing his second half brace to kill off whatever fight Amakhosi might have still had.
It’s true, white men can’t dance. Pirates were ruthless on the day with Mandla ’Metro Blitz’ Sithole opening the scoring with a delicate chip early on while Ernest ’Botsotso’ Makhanya and Teboho Moloi also found the net. Scara Thindwa scored for Chiefs.
December 15, 2001
Orlando Pirates 3 Kaizer Chiefs 0
Little known Frenchman Jean-Yves Kerjean had only recently taken charge of the Buccaneers when the Soweto derby came along, and a good result was sure to endear him to The Ghost. And boy did he make them happy. Well, it was his players who did, the late Lesley ‘Slow Poison’ Manyathela in particular. Amakhosi were enduring a torrid time in the league having lost their last two matches and it was to get worse.
Muhsin Ertugral stunned the crowd when he made an early first half substitution, the fiery coach replacing Marco Mthembu with Kenny Niemach after Manyathela had given Bucs the lead following a pass from Benedict Vilakazi.
That change didn’t help Amakhosi in any way. Slow Poison scored his second on 72 minutes before Vilakazi completed the rout three minutes later.
November 24, 2007
Pirates 2 Kaizer Chiefs 2
I can still remember the buzz inside the Kings Park Stadium in Durban, the kind only a Soweto derby can produce. Fifa delegates were inside the stadium ahead of the following day’s draw for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers and both teams were clearly out to impress.
Many were still settling in their seats while others were making their way into the already packed arena when Mabhuti Khenyeza’s splendid volley gave Amakhosi the lead with the match barely 20 seconds old, the derby’s quickest goal.
But Pirates, with a few youngsters making their derby debut, were not to be outdone and took the lead via an Excellent Walaza brace – the goals coming either side of the half-time break.
Arthur Zwane equalised for Amakhosi on the hour mark. A brilliant match to show Fifa they were right to grant South Africa the World Cup hosting rights, alright!
March 17, 2012
Orlando Pirates 3 Kaizer Chiefs 2
Benni McCarthy’s return to the local game after a long time in Europe was the biggest news of the season. His Soweto derby debut was one to remember.
The derby was generally dead then, with draws commonplace. But Benni was not going to have any of that. Pirates had lost midweek to Santos and many expected them to lose again.
But the lad from Hanover Park in Cape Town was in his element and scored a brace of goals that sandwiched an Andile Jali strike as Pirates rushed into a 3-0 lead before the half hour mark.
Game over we all thought in the press box. But Chiefs staged a comeback courtesy of goals by Siphiwe Tshabalala and Lehlohonolo Majoro for a nervy finale that made for a most memorable derby.
February 29, 2020
Kaizer Chiefs 1 Orlando Pirates 0
The last derby to have a crowd before the Covid-19 lockdown came into effect was an exciting affair.
Amakhosi had just lost to Maritzburg United and their championship claim was suddenly seen as wobbly. Pirates, on the other hand, were unbeaten under new coach Josef Zinnbauer and looking to become serious title contenders.
But Chiefs reigned supreme in a tightly contested affair courtesy of a sweetly struck, grass-cutting shot by Lebogang Manyama who made a brilliant run to cut inside the field before beating Wayne Sandilands.
Daniel Akpeyi’s performance in the Amakhosi goal was the highlight, the Nigerian pulling off numerous super saves – denying Thembinkosi Lorch twice, Gabadinho Mhango and Luvuyo Memela, to show he was worthy of putting crowd favourite Itumeleng Khune on the bench.
@Tshiliboy