Soweto Derby Drama: Pirates Come From Behind to Sink Chiefs 2-1 in Sold-Out Thriller
The Soweto Derby never fails to deliver drama, and Saturday’s clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at a sold-out FNB Stadium was no exception. While the highly anticipated match was scheduled for a 15:00 kickoff, a large crowd of spectators still outside the gates led to a 30-minute delay — a clear sign of the magnitude of this iconic fixture in South African football.
When play finally got underway, it was Kaizer Chiefs who drew first blood, stunning the Buccaneers in just the second minute. A defensive lapse from the Pirates backline allowed Chiefs’ Dillan Solomons to pounce and thread a clever assist to Makabi Lilepo, who calmly slotted the ball past Sipho Chaine to make it 1-0.
Chiefs rode the early momentum and dominated the opening 15 to 20 minutes, creating spaces and chances that could have easily extended their lead. However, a failure to capitalize on those opportunities proved costly. Instead of pressing forward against a Pirates side playing an open game, Chiefs chose a more conservative approach — a decision that would come back to haunt them.
From the 20th minute, Pirates began to grow into the game, visibly fired up by Chiefs’ reluctance to attack. The equalizer came swiftly in the 24th minute when Evidence Makgopa broke through and coolly beat Bruce Bvuma in a one-on-one situation, bringing the Buccaneers level.
Makgopa had a golden opportunity to double his tally just before halftime, but with adrenaline pumping, he sent his shot wide of Bvuma’s goalposts. Chiefs also had a chance to reclaim the lead through Lilepo, who nearly capitalized on a dangerous rebound that almost resulted in an own goal from Tapelo Xoki, but again, the chance went begging.
The halftime whistle blew with the score locked at 1-1, setting the stage for a fiery second half.
Jose Riveiro’s tactical acumen was on full display after the break. Noticing that Chiefs were targeting Lilepo down the right flank, which put immense pressure on left-back Paseka Mako, he made a decisive change by replacing him and sent Deon Hotto to the left-back role. The adjustment paid off immediately, tightening up the left side and allowing Pirates to control the tempo.
In the 69th minute, the breakthrough came. Teen sensation Relebohile Mofokeng scored his first Soweto Derby goal, capitalizing on Pirates’ growing dominance. From that point, it was all Pirates. The Buccaneers’ confidence surged, and Chiefs struggled to contain the wave of attacks.
The presence of six players from Pirates’ DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) squad brought youthful energy, with the standout being Mohau Nkota. His relentless pressure on Chiefs’ left-back Bradley Cross eventually forced the latter into two bookable offenses, resulting in a red card in the 90th minute. With Chiefs down to ten men, Pirates comfortably saw out the match to seal a well-earned 2-1 victory.
As the dust settles on this classic derby, both sides now shift focus to the upcoming 2025 Nedbank Cup Final, where these two giants of South African football will lock horns once again — this time at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, 10 May 2025.