Africa’s biggest football rivalry will take centre stage tomorrow at FNB Stadium. Here is an analysis of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates’ form leading up to the Soweto Derby.
Ahead of this weekend’s eagerly anticipated showdown, while the Buccaneers are in second place with 27 points, Amakhosi find themselves in fifth place on the Betway Premiership with 23 points, but having played three games more.
Jose Ribeiro has been a sensation for Pirates with successive second placed league finishes and a raft of cup trophies since joining the club in 2022.
This term they have already won silverware in the MTN8, beating Stellenbosch in the final, while they are also in the knockout rounds of the CAF Champions League and in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.
Chiefs have struggled for form and results in recent seasons but made a statement of intent by bringing in heavy-weight head coach Nasreddine Nabi ahead of the current campaign.
Under the Tunisian there have been signs of improvement, and he has slowly been adding to the squad he inherited that ended in a record low 10th place last season.
Joining the club ae Tashreeq Morris from SuperSport United, Thabo Cele from Fakel Voronezh and Makabi Lilepo from Valenciennes, although Morris will miss Saturday game as he is still serving a suspension from the red card he received while playing against Sekhukhune United earlier this month.
Also out is an injured Ashley Du Preez, who scored of a brace in the Soweto Derby last season, that Bucs edged 3-2. Attacking player Wandile Duba is also sidelined, with a knee injury, leaving Ranga Chivaviro as the only fit forward.
Nabi will be back, though, having missed the last two games due to a pitch-side ban.
Pirates, meanwhile, look set to be without defenders Olisa Ndah and Paseka Mako, who are both injured.
Bucs most recently defeated Richards Bay in a Nedbank Cup last 32 encounter and Amakhosi overcame ABC Motsepe side 4-0 in their cup clash.
But while Riveiro’s side have largely been unstoppable in recent months, only faltering a league tie with Cape Town City in their last league game, Nabi’s team continues to struggle for consistency, winning three, losing three and drawing two of their last eight matches.