The 1st Betway Premiership Soweto Derby
Orlando Pirates will face Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday, 01 February 2025, at FNB Stadium at 15:30, marking the first Soweto Derby of the newly acquired Premier Soccer League (PSL) sponsor, Betway Premiership. This is the highly anticipated Derby, known as one of Africa’s finest derbies. The 107th league encounter between the two titans is completely sold out, demonstrating its significance, as excited fans eagerly await the countdown.
Both teams arrive at this match after securing victories in their recent Nedbank Cup last 32 games, with Pirates defeating Richards Bay FC 3-1 and Kaizer Chiefs triumphing 4-0 against Free Agents FC.
Chiefs coach, Nasreddine Nabi, missed the last two matches for the Amakhosi while serving a two-match suspension due to a red card received in the tunnel against Golden Arrows earlier this month. However, he will return to the bench in the upcoming clash against the Sea Robbers, instilling fresh hope and strategy into the team. His presence will be enhanced by two of three new additions, Glody Lilepo and Thabo Cele, all motivated to demonstrate their skills in this historic rivalry. Tashreeq Morris is the third new player however is currently serving a suspension after receiving a red card in the match against Sekhukhune United earlier this month. He skipped one match as a SuperSport player and appears likely to miss the second as a Chiefs player. Football enthusiasts will be monitoring attentively to determine if they can adjust swiftly to create a notable influence.
Nabi must figure out a solution for the lack of three impressive choices during the weekend. Ashley Du Preez, who netted two goals in the Soweto Derby last season, picked up an injury in a recent league match against Stellenbosch FC. This leaves Nabi with just Ranga Chivaviro as his forward. The ex-Stellenbosch FC striker landed awkwardly and broke his elbow. He is anticipated to be unavailable for a few weeks and will miss the Soweto Derby. Wandile Duba sustained a left knee injury, anticipated to sideline him for the next six weeks.
On the other hand, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro expresses his excitement about being one of the coaches involved in the forthcoming Soweto Derby, noting that he has never witnessed fans from both rival teams sitting together until he experienced it during the Soweto Derby. He urged fans to arrive early at the stadium since match delays disrupt the teams’ strategy.