2. Pirates' many quality options in central midfield
Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has options in players he can deploy in the middle of the park, a critical area where many games — especially big pressure matches — are won or lost. Chiefs have had many issues in that area with coach Arthur Zwane yet to settle on the players to deploy.
Miguel Timm has been Pirates' most consistent and preferred player as a central midfielder and whenever Riveiro has paired him with Thabang Monare Pirates look a formidable force. Ben Motshwari and Makhehleni Makhaula, recently acquired from AmaZulu, are other strong options for Riveiro if he’s not getting what he wants from Monare and Timm.
3. Bucs' centrebacks have been on form
While the jury is still out on Sipho Chaine's suitability as Pirates' No 1 goalkeeper, central defenders Thapelo Xoki, Nkosinathi Sibisi and Olisa Ndah have often made Bucs' defence look solid.
Sibisi and Ndah are recovering from injuries but one of them may return in the derby to partner Xoki to give better cover in front of Chaine. As long as their defence is tight, Pirates stand a good chance of ending their four-match winless league run against their Soweto rivals.
4. Riveiro's many options in attack
Bucs' coach has so many players to pick from to help Saleng up front if the going gets tough. Vincent Pule, Kermit Erasmus, Ndumiso Mabena and new Cameroonian striker Souaibou Marou may come from the bench and influence the result if they don't start.
It’s just a matter of how Riveiro prefers to deploy those players against a Chiefs defence that has never looked settled this season, conceding 24 goals in 20 league matches. It’s a defence that’s there for the taking.
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Four reasons why Pirates will beat Chiefs in the Soweto derby
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
It’s always difficult to predict the Soweto derby because most often the winner is not determined by form and previous results but performance on the day of the hyped-up match.
Saturday's match, where Kaizer Chiefs host Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium (3.30pm), seems particularly hard to call given the overall inconsistency of just about every team in the DStv Premiership apart from runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sometimes factors gong into the game can influence the outcome, though.
TimesLIVE has identified four reasons why Pirates will beat Chiefs:
1. Monnapule Saleng's form
The winger-cum-striker has shown how difficult he is to mark when taking players on, with the way he delivers set pieces and his ability to pounce on loose balls in and around the area.
Saleng is Bucs’ best player by far this season and has scored five and contributed four assists to their 21 league goals. That Chiefs' defence has been at sixes and sevens all season will work in Saleng’s favour. Siyabonga Ngezana, the Chiefs’ right-back and a player who is likely to mark Saleng, has been exposed so many times this season and his confidence is at an all-time low after the two mistakes he made when his team was beaten 4-0 by Mamelodi Sundowns early in the season.
Four reasons why underdogs Kaizer Chiefs will stun Pirates
2. Pirates' many quality options in central midfield
Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has options in players he can deploy in the middle of the park, a critical area where many games — especially big pressure matches — are won or lost. Chiefs have had many issues in that area with coach Arthur Zwane yet to settle on the players to deploy.
Miguel Timm has been Pirates' most consistent and preferred player as a central midfielder and whenever Riveiro has paired him with Thabang Monare Pirates look a formidable force. Ben Motshwari and Makhehleni Makhaula, recently acquired from AmaZulu, are other strong options for Riveiro if he’s not getting what he wants from Monare and Timm.
3. Bucs' centrebacks have been on form
While the jury is still out on Sipho Chaine's suitability as Pirates' No 1 goalkeeper, central defenders Thapelo Xoki, Nkosinathi Sibisi and Olisa Ndah have often made Bucs' defence look solid.
Sibisi and Ndah are recovering from injuries but one of them may return in the derby to partner Xoki to give better cover in front of Chaine. As long as their defence is tight, Pirates stand a good chance of ending their four-match winless league run against their Soweto rivals.
4. Riveiro's many options in attack
Bucs' coach has so many players to pick from to help Saleng up front if the going gets tough. Vincent Pule, Kermit Erasmus, Ndumiso Mabena and new Cameroonian striker Souaibou Marou may come from the bench and influence the result if they don't start.
It’s just a matter of how Riveiro prefers to deploy those players against a Chiefs defence that has never looked settled this season, conceding 24 goals in 20 league matches. It’s a defence that’s there for the taking.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
MORE:
Mduduzi Shabalala grew up supporting Pirates but ‘will die a Kaizer Chiefs fan’
Soweto derby tickets could be sold out by Thursday: SMSA CEO
How Pirates’ new signing Makhaula’s career turned for the good under Benni
Glance at results of PSL ‘chasing’ teams makes for something of a horror show
‘Chiefs have bigger problems than Zwane’ — Fans react to defeat by Arrows
‘Next season Chiefs should be able to win everything’: ‘Itu’ Khune
Kaizer Chiefs management ‘fully behind’ under-pressure Arthur Zwane
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