TFGSoccerClub writer DYLAN APPOLIS takes a look at five reasons why Orlando Pirates will beat rivals Kaizer Chiefs in their much-anticipated Soweto derby on Saturday.
Pirates and Amakhosi were drawn to play each other in Telkom Knockout semi-final and will square off at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday after beating SuperSport United and AmaZulu in the quarter-final respectively.
The Soweto giants have already played each other once this campaign with Pirates claiming the bragging rights in the first Soweto derby when they claimed a 2-1 victory over Chiefs at the FNB Stadium on 27 October.
The winner in this mouth-watering fixture will go on to face the winner of the other semi-final between Baroka and Bidvest Wits in the final.
#TKO2018 Semifinals:@Baroka_FC vs @BidvestWits@KaizerChiefs VS @orlandopirates
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) November 4, 2018
5) Pirates are hungry for cup success
The Buccaneers will be eager to claim their first piece of silverware after four year, having last lifted a major trophy back in 2014 when they defeated Bidvest Wits 3-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the Nedbank Cup final.
Pirates have only won their cup competition once before when they beat Wits 3-1 back in 2011 with Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Daine Klate and Issac Chansa all getting their names on the scoresheet.
4) The Vincent Pule effect
The 26-year-old winger has been a key figure for Pirates this season and has already played a crucial role in helping the Buccaneers claim all three points against Amakhosi in the first installment of the Soweto derby after scoring the winning goal in their 2-1 win.
Pule has already managed to bag five goals and assists a further three from 14 appearances in all competitions so far this campaign. He could surely prove to be the difference in the Pirates team on the day.
3) Pirates buying into Milutin Sredojevic’s tactics
The Buccaneer have been one the in form teams in the Absa Premiership this campaign under head coach Milutin Sredojevic. They have only conceded two defeats out of 16 games played in all competitions, while claiming eight wins and six draws in the process.
They are currently on an 11 match unbeaten run in all competitions, having last tasted defeat when they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Steve Komphela’s Bloemfontein Celtic outfit on 18 August. In that time, Pirates have scored a total of 21 goals and conceded just 14 goals.
Sredojevic’s will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run when they take on their Soweto rivals over the weekend at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
2) Bucs dominance over Chiefs
History will be on the Buccaneers side when they go head-to-head with Amakhosi for the second installment of the Soweto derby on Saturday. In 10 games between the two sides, Pirates have gone on a nine game unbeaten run, suffering their last defeat to Chiefs in 2014 when they lost 2-0 at the Orlando Stadium. Of those 10 games, Pirates have managed to secure four wins, five draws and one defeat, and with their current form they do not look like stopping anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Chiefs are on the brink of their longest winless run in Soweto derby history, going 10 games without a win against the Buccaneers‚ which is already their longest streak without success since the derby was first played in 1970.
1) Strength in attack
Although some Pirates players including the likes of Innocent Maela, Vincent Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch remain with the Bafana Bafana camp for their upcoming international friendly against Paraguay on Tuesday, the current crop of Pirates squad are a force to be reckon with this season.
Amongst them are: Pule, Augustine Mulenga, Justin Shonga, Lorch and Maela, who have contributed to 12 of the Buccaneers 21 goals scored this season, while also contributing a total of 10 assists in the process.
These five attackers will play a major role in deciding the outcome of the game, especially Pirates current top scorer Pule, while Shonga has slowly began to hit top form.
Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
