stakes rarely get as big as those that await Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby as they battle it out for Nedbank Cup honours in Saturday’s final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
What kicked off with 32 teams from the various divisions of South African football is set up for a spectacular finish with a showpiece finale. It’s an epic curtain call featuring the country’s two biggest teams, who will be writing another chapter in the storied history of their iconic rivalry.
Form Guide
Pirates are but one match away from a third straight title, with their biggest rivals standing between them and a historic feat. Their title defence kicked off just south of Saturday’s venue, where they defeated Richards Bay 3-1 to march to the Round of 16.
Victories against Baroka and SuperSport United in the subsequent rounds ensured passage to the semifinals, where they overcame the challenge of Marumo Gallants to secure their spot in the last two.
It has been nearly a month to the day since that triumph over the Free State outfit, and Jose Riveiro’s troops have been kept busy by an unrelenting schedule which has divided their attention between two other competitions. They exited the CAF Champions League in the semifinal stage after following up a goalless draw at home against Egyptian outfit Pyramids with a 3-2 defeat on the road.
That disappointment should nonetheless be diminished somewhat by recent successful outings in their domestic league, where they defeated Saturday’s opponents before overcoming Durban outfit Lamontville Golden Arrows in a game played on the very turf they will be stepping on for the final.
While the combination of the two matches will have provided a useful dress rehearsal for the big date, Pirates will take nothing for granted as they come up against a Chiefs side that will be determined to break a lengthy spell without silverware. Amakhosi come into the fixture well-rested after sitting out midweek league action.
Their defeat to Pirates was their second since eliminating last season’s Nedbank Cup runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns in a dramatic 2-1 victory at Loftus Versfeld. It’s a result that underlined what has been a dominant run in the tournament, which began with a 4-0 drubbing of third tier outfit Free Agents before convincing wins against Premiership rivals Chippa United and Stellenbosch.
Having endured a run of three league games without a win while building up to the final, Nasreddine Nabi’s men will welcome the change in competition. They will need no extra motivation to turn their fortunes around in a memorable manner as they are presented with an opportunity to halt their rivals’ dominance in the competition while ending their own trophy drought.
