Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates legend Marks Maponyane feels the upcoming Soweto derby between the two clubs might have a surprise result.
The Amakhosi and the Buccaneers will clash at the FNB Stadium on Saturday at 3pm, reigniting a rivalry that has dominated domestic football for more than five decades.
The two teams head into this encounter in contrasting mindsets with Pirates high-flying on both the continent and locally, while Chiefs are still managing the newly initiated project of head coach Nasreddine Nabi.
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Mfundo Vilakazi is one of the most exciting prospects from the #DStvDiskiChallenge and one to watch in the Soweto Derby.
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Fresh from their recent conquests in the CAF Champions League, where they upstaged Africa's 'Club of the Century', Al Ahly, Pirates returned to local action to warm up for the derby with a league outing against Richards Bay over the weekend.
Chiefs also made light work of ABC Motsepe side Free Agents to seal passage into the round of 16 alongside their rivals, however, that hasn’t swayed the opinions that Pirates might wipe the floor with them come the weekend.
Born in Soweto, Maponyane, who played for Chiefs in the 1980s, as well as Pirates in the 90s, believes the potential of the Glamour Boys cannot be ruled out ahead of this game.
The 62-year-old believes that the unpredictability of Chiefs at the moment might be key in breaking their three-game losing streak against their arch-nemesis.
Love how the kids are the face of the #SowetoDerby ☠️✌️ pic.twitter.com/pX7gZ7kz1z
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“Pirates are certainly the form team, they’re riding the crest at the moment. They’re playing well, they have quality players and you see the likes of (Relebohile) Mofokeng, (Tshegofatso) Mabasa and (Patrick) Maswanganyi are scoring goals for fun as well,” Go-Man-Go told Independent Newspapers
“But Chiefs have benefited in the past being underdogs and they’ve been able to spring surprises that way, their inconsistency is the difference between them and Pirates in terms of where they are on the log but it could benefit them in this match.
Maponyane scored 85 for Chiefs and remains the club’s all-time top scorer and has been keeping a close watch on the club’s current youthful attacking line.
Nabi has consistently fielded Mduduzi Shabalala (20), Wandile Duba (20) and Mfundo Vilakazi (19) this season and their nerves might be tested on this sold-out occasion.
Maponyane expressed that although young, the trio will be expected to perform to the standards of their seasoned teammates and the club’s heroes of the past.
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“There will always be pressure when you step into that match and when you see 90 000 supporters you realise how big of an occasion it is,” he said.
“They will be judged on the standards of the occasion and people will expect them to make their names the same way the likes of Jerry Skhosana and I did in our time.”
Amakhosi head into this encounter with not only ambitions to get closer to a top-three finish and qualify for continental football next season but to also buck a trend of losing to their rivals.