Pressure on the Buccaneers in this edition of the Soweto derby

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs go into their 168^th edition of the world-famous Soweto derby today, 9 February, with both giants eager to get the better of the other.

The match, whose tickets were quickly snapped up like hot cakes within a few days of them going up on sale, will be played at the FNB Stadium outside Soweto.

But the pressure is on the Buccaneers as the blood brother rivals battle it for the three points of the Absa Premiership and the bragging rights on their part of their huge and devoted followers who never take defeat in this derby lightly.

Pirates are in the pressure cooker as it goes into this derby because the Ghosts, as they are better known for their logo of bones, because they are one of the top three teams eyeing this season’s championship.

The Buccaneers have just been dislodged from the second spot by a rising Mamelodi Sundowns who are three points behind leaders Bidvest Wits.

Masandwana or Yellow Machine, as Sundowns are known to their faithful, lead the sea robbers by a solitary point but with a game in hand.

Collecting all the three points at stake will further boost the morale of the Buccaneers and will also do good to their title ambitions, let alone return them to the second spot on the league table.

A loss will dent their image and self-belief as well as being a slight setback to their title ambitions while on the other hand, a loss for Amakhosi will obviously dent their image as well but will not set them back that much as they are currently not in any contention for the league.

“We take this match very seriously and we will give it our all,” said Buccaneers coach Milutin Sredejovic during a media conference at Premier Soccer League office in Parktown ahead of the crucial derby match.

“We’re well prepared and ready for the battle. My fellow players are well aware of what is at stake and need no motivation from anyone. These derbies are self-motivating for players of both sides,” said Buccaneers skipper Happy Jele.

His counterpart at Chiefs, Willard Katsande, was upbeat about their chances of victory since the arrival of the new coach Ernst Middendorp last December.

“We may have been blowing both hot and cold but overall the team is in good shape and highly receptive to the aspirations and instructions of the coach,” Katsande added.

Middendorp was equally bullish, saying his men were ‘in it to win it’. “Only the 90 minutes will ultimately tell who the winner will be.”