Kaizer Chiefs ended a barren run in the Soweto derby with success in the Nedbank Cup finals last season. Who are their potential heroes to take the side to another win? Ask Mazola Molefe.
READ: Orlando Pirates: Derby Danger
There is plenty at stake for Kaizer Chiefs’ youthful side ahead of the season’s first Soweto Derby, the very fixture most debutants dream about when they sign on the dotted line.
While AmaKhosi have added a handful of reinforcements to steady and bolster a campaign that began under coach Nasreddine Nabi before his abrupt exit, it is the academy graduates who are beginning to step into the spotlight and solidify their positions.
SoccerClub takes a closer look at the emerging talents poised to make their mark when Chiefs host bitter rivals Orlando Pirates on 28 February at Soccer City.
MFUNDO VILAKAZI
When it comes to the 20-year-old talisman, few would argue that Vilakazi returned from the World Cup carrying a renewed edge, a touch more swagger, even. It is as though the spotlight in Chile simply confirmed what many have long believed: this is a rare talent. Under Raymond Mdaka on the global stage, Vilakazi started three of the four matches and made one appearance off the bench. Chiefs’ technical team has since embraced his dynamism, using him as an impact player, and he thrives in that role, consistently shifting the tempo and flipping games on their head the moment he is introduced.
NKOSINGIPHILE NGCOBO
Everyone at the club, from chairman Kaizer Motaung to the supporters, holds this midfielder in high regard, even though he has yet to hit his ceiling. It is a big part of why the coaching team, led by Ben Khalil Youssef and Cedric Kaze, remain committed to shaping the game around Ngcobo. Fitness concerns persist, but when he is fully firing, the player first promoted by Ernst Middendorp in 2019 is capable of being a match-winner. This would not be his first Soweto Derby, but he will need to ignite something special to repay the unwavering faith of his admirers.
FLAVIO SILVA
Just before the AFCON recess, the Portugal-born striker was oddly being used only in flashes, despite sitting at the top of Chiefs’ scoring charts. Surely the moment has come to trust him to lead the line? Silva faced heavy scrutiny from supporters during pre-season, an unfair window to judge any newcomer still acclimatising to a foreign league. Yet he quickly showcased his pedigree, scoring crucial goals that secured Betway Premiership points for the Glamour Boys. Even so, the coaching staff continued to place their faith in Etiosa Ighodaro. Is it too much, too soon, to hand Silva the reins from here, starting with the Soweto Derby?
KHANYISA MAYO
Describing his loan move from CR Belouizdad as underwhelming so far would not be unfair. Mayo is effectively playing for a contract extension at Naturena, yet his numbers carry an air of urgency that is missing. Given his years at Cape Town City as a consistent top scorer, expectations were that he would hit the ground running. That is precisely why AmaKhosi moved swiftly when they learned a long-time target had suddenly become available before the September deadline, sealing a short-term deal in the hope that he would reignite his spark. All will be forgiven, however, if Mayo finds the winner, arrowing one past goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, and hand Chiefs a Soweto Derby triumph this month.
BRANDON PETERSEN
He may not need to prove himself within the club, but to the AmaKhosi faithful, the newly appointed skipper does have a redemption story to write. Petersen’s time at Naturena has been a mixed bag. At one point he looked like Chiefs’ best goalkeeper since Itumeleng Khune stepped aside, only to later find himself drifting into a secondary, even tertiary role. At his peak, Petersen produces clean sheets that win matches and repeatedly validates the decision to start him. But on his off days, he commits the kind of basic errors that are hard to reconcile with a keeper of his calibre and experience. If Pirates arrive at the Soweto Derby carrying the form they showed at the halfway mark of the season, Petersen. will need to be at his sharpest, because it could be an unforgiving afternoon at Soccer City.
THABISO MONYANE
One of two former Pirates players to cross the divide this season, the other being fellow defender Paseka Mako, Monyane faces a fixture loaded with emotion. But sentiment will not count for much; both will need to set it aside and deliver. Monyane has earned praise for helping stabilise a position that has troubled Chiefs in recent years, although persistent injuries have again limited his rhythm. What he does carry into this clash is intimate knowledge of the current Pirates setup, even if Abdeslam Ouaddou has tweaked the dynamics on the flanks with Tshepang Moremi and Oswin Appollis. Crucially, Monyane brings extensive Soweto Derby experience, exactly the kind of composure and know-how this youthful Chiefs side will depend on when the pressure peaks.
