I understand we’ve seen a lot of derbies this year
already, we watched two during pre-season and we are about to see two in the
next week. It’s over played, but we can never say the spirit of the derby is
dead or dying, because it isn’t.
The Derby is still the only football match that fills FNB
Stadium in our domestic league; this doesn’t just happen once, it happens every
time Kaizer Chiefs play Pierats. It is the famous Soweto Derby, believe it. Sorry
for mentioning the obvious, but it worries me when I hear talk of a dead Soweto
Derby.
Okay, now onto the preview of our first very big game of
the season. We play Orlando Pirates for the very first time this season. I say
first time because the last two games we played against them were friendlies
and I’m not only saying that because we lost or maybe I am, but you know what I
mean. It’s the first competitive fixture and they are defending champions.
I always say that there’s nothing better than beating
Pirates when it matters, it’s the sweetest joy next to beating them 3-0 3-1 in
one season. Beating them tomorrow will mean we dethrone them from the first of
their three titles.
Not beating them will not bode well for most of us and I
think you all know why. (hint: Bragging rights for dayzzzzz). So for that
reason, I’m hoping for a spirited showing from our lads, not only to prove a
point to the people of Mayfair, but to bring smiles to the AmaKhosi fraternity.
After watching them win a treble last season, I think saying we are desperate
for bigger success this season is an understatement. But be reminded as Vlad V
reminded ‘Pirates Supporters’ yesterday:
“A lot of people
are talking about these last two games in pre-season and people forget the
[Telkom Knockout] Final last season. They forget the 3-1 and the 3-0 wins for
us, but Orlando Pirates players didn’t forget these two games. They [Pirates
players] will be thinking about that,”
“It is not
[necessarily] a reminder for the Pirates players, because they know it, so I’m
just reminding the Pirates supporters,”
Those right there are very big words and I’m happy my
coach reiterated yesterday. Everyone should know that in competitive games,
we’ve had the upper hand and this will work to our advantage because that’s
just how things work. Psychologically this will work for us, their players will
remember this when they enter FNB Stadium, and they will remember the reason
why their treble winning coach was fired. And their new coach will also be
thinking about his job tomorrow.
Moving on, I really liked that our coach wasn’t as vocal
building up to this game, I think he learned from the last time when he said
errr… rather too much and we ended up with our tails between our legs when they
beat us. He did say something very positive though:
“The tournament has
been termed ‘Wafa Wafa’ which means ‘do or die’ but I hope no one is going to
die on Saturday!”
I like that, and I’m sure this is what he’s been
preaching to his congregation all week, It’s do or die, go big or go home or to
a hole if you are a rat. Now before I make further rat enemies than I already
have, let’s take a look at the numbers, our head to head statistics that will
help you understand why we are fierce rivals.
HEAD 2 HEAD TABLE
- http://khosiblog.co.za/
Let me translate that into English. Off the last 19 games
that we’ve played against the Mayfair people, we’ve won 7 times compared to
their 4 times. We’ve had success both home and away as we beat them 3 times at
home and 4 times away compared to their 2 and 2 respectively. Does that make
sense?
Basically we’ve had the upper hand over our arch rivals
and tomorrow should not be an exception.
But please, before you get excited and carried away as I
almost am, they are a strong side. Their midfield is one of the strongest in
the league, they have the likes of Oupa Manyisa who’s displayed tremendous form
of late, they have Jali, they have Tlou Segolela whose pace can only be
compared to David Radebe’s pace during his Amakhosi days. They have a lot of
dangerous players and they should not be taken for granted.
Tomorrow will not be an easy game but for the first time
this season, our coach will be spoilt for choice as every member of the squad
will be available for selection. This time we have every one fit, we have both
Majoro and Shabba who returned with injuries from Niger, we have Yeye who’s
been training with a team for a while, we also have the young George Lebese who
trained with the team all week.
Plus our new signings Willard Katsande and Lincoln
Zvasiya have both been granted work permits. Like I said, our coach will be
spoilt for choice. However, I do think he’ll opt for continuity. He will start
with the team that’s been doing well in the past few games with maybe a
surprise or two.
The big day is here, tomorrow we gonna paint that FNB
Stadium Black and Gold, wear your Zebra colours proudly as we build up to the
game, paint your city gold.
Amakhosi4Glory
