Sipho Mthembu

Sipho Mthembu

Playing the South African derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs is viewed as the ultimate honour in local football.

The ultimate achievement for most soccer playing youngsters.

However, there is an exclusive group more fortunate than the rest. A group that has surpassed this highest, most special achievement by turning out both in black and white, and gold and black in their lifetime.

Marks "Go-man-go" Maponyane and Pollen "Trompies" Ndlanya belong to this exclusive group and both believe there is everything to play for in Saturday's epic at Ellis Park stadium.

Marks Maponyane:

The former all-time top scorer for Kaizer Chiefs believes Orlando Pirates have a slight edge over Amakhosi going into Saturday's match.

"Chiefs are very low on confidence after a string of losses. They thought they needed a coach but now realise that they actually need players. They do not have quality to take Africa by storm."

He believes the few shining stars that Amakhosi had over the past few seasons have also faded.

"Tinashe Nengomasha has failed to tick. He only played well in only one game this season, when Chiefs beat Bloemfontein Celtic 4-0 in Durban, but has not produced a similar performance since.

"Arthur Zwane has also lost the title as the best crosser to Josta Dladla. Chiefs are vulnerable at the back and have failed to score," said Maponyane who is now a television soccer analyst.

"For their part, Pirates have missed chances but drew rather than lost their games. They should be slightly more confident than Chiefs."

His criticism for the Buccaneers: "Discipline. They have good players such as Isaac Chansa, Onyekachi Okonkwo but they seem to misinterpret instructions. The coach told them to take the game by the scruff of the neck and Chansa went for an assistant referee's neck. When he told them to stop backstabbing each other, they started stabbing each other in front.

"My advice to Pirates is to go for an early goal, make Chiefs start thinking, 'Oh! There we go again'. But they must know how to defend for 90 minutes.

"For Chiefs, If Pirates score first, push them because they are not fully confident either. They might also think it will end as a draw as it has become their second nature," Maponyane concluded.

His favourite derbies:

For Chiefs: 1981 Sales House Champion of Champions final first leg (he scored the odd goal at Orlando but Pirates turned the tables 3-1 in the second leg to win 3-2 on aggregate)

For Pirates: 1994 league match where he and Mark Batchelor scored a goal each with Pirates playing in green and gold colours.

"The joke then was that after 90 minutes Chiefs were still waiting for Pirates in black and white."

Pollen Ndlanya:

The big forward believes Kaizer Chiefs will emerge winners come Saturday.

"Granted, Pirates have a better team than Chiefs but how many of their players have played in a derby. The only names that come to mind are Benedict Vilakazi and Jabu [Mahlangu]," said Ndlanya, perhaps oblivious of the fact that Lucky Lekgwathi, Francis Chansa, Tonic Chabalala and Lucas Thwala have a few derbies under their belts.

"Mulondo Sikhwivhilu might have made an impact on his arrival but has he ever played a derby? Now, that for me is crucial. I know what I am talking about. I can still remember the nerves when I played my first derby. I can tell you now, all the players are nervous because we are talking something special here.

"Pirates would have stood a chance if the likes of Joseph Makhanya and Gift Leremi were going to play. Those guys know what it is all about," he said.

"Chiefs have the team that has not lost to Pirates in the last two seasons and some have played many more derbies before," Ndlanya pointed out.

Favourite derbies:

For Chiefs: 1998 Rothmans Cup semifinal (he scored two and Batchelor one as Chiefs triumphed 3-1).

For Pirates: 2001 (Chiefs won 1-0 with Pirates already league champions.