Six key players to look out for when Chiefs take on Pirates

Saturday’s DStv Premiership Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, promises to be fascinating, with expectations around young stars Relebohile Mofokeng at the Buccaneers and Amakhosi’s Wandile Duba seen as the main talking point. 

The hype around the two players has made this fixture more attractive, with the fans eager to witness who between these youngsters will shine for their respective teams, should they be given a chance to play.

Another key factor that makes the clash between the two Soweto teams is the race for a second-place finish, meaning maximum points will be the order of the day for both camps.

Pirates have won the first round meeting between the two teams, and Amakhosi will be hoping to grab the bragging rights for the first time this campaign.

Ahead of the match, we look at three key players from each team that could change the game when the teams meet at FNB Stadium. 

Orlando Pirates

Relebohile Mofokeng

Mofokeng has long proved himself as a key player for the Buccaneers, with many appearances under his belt already in the senior team, The 19 year-old scored his first league goal on Wednesday against Cape Town Spurs in a 1-1 draw.

Patrick Maswanganyi

Maswanganyi is very influential in how Pirates attack and has played most of the games at the club so far this season, which shows exactly how important he is in Jose Riveiro’s line-up. He can score and create goals with his intelligent passes. 

Evidence Makgopa

The lanky forward has gained a lot of confidence since his display at the AFCON with Bafana Bafana. He continues to try to prove himself to the Bucs fans and scoring against Chiefs, like he did with the winner in the reverse fixture, will certainly help. 

Kaizer Chiefs

Wandile Duba

Duba got his first start for Chiefs in their 1-0 win against Golden Arrows, lighting up the spectacle with a wonderful goal, a strike that has already placed him in the spotlight. The 19-year-old forward has proved to be a good finisher in the Diski Challenge team and getting a goal against the Buccaneers will just cement his place in the senior team.

Keagan Dolly

The midfielder might not be back to his best yet, but the derby is one game a player like Dolly tends to step up in . This is a game where he has a chance to regain the trust of the supporters. His experience will also play a huge part in the team, particularly in guiding the youngsters.

Ashley du Preez

The striker might be missing a lot of chances, but he continues to be a threat to many teams. His speed is a nightmare for defenders. This is where Chiefs could certainly hurt Pirates, since the Pirates’ defence is not known to be that quick. Chiefs will just hope Du Preez can find a clinical finish to any opportunities that come his way.