The towering George Chigova and the diminutive Khama Billiat make for an odd couple but the pair’s friendship has proven to be everlasting.

However, for 90 minutes in Polokwane tomorrow afternoon (3.30pm), the Harare-born duo will put their brotherhood aside as Polokwane City take on Kaizer Chiefs.

Football first brought Chigova, who stands at 1.96m, and the 1.7m tall Billiat together some 11 years ago when they joined Aces Youth Academy where they were schooled at Lord Malvern High School.

“Khama and I went to the same academy and school where we were sharing the same room, so we know each other very well,” Chigova told Sowetan.

“It’s more than friendship we are like brothers. There is nothing that we don’t know about each other. Whenever we have some free time I go to his house or he comes to me.”

With Billiat aiming to breach Chigova’s goals at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, the stopper believes he has his friend’s number.

“I always poke fun at him that he only scored once against me when he was at Mamelodi Sundowns,” he laughed.

“Obviously I know he is a dangerous player but I am confident that we will do well against them.”

Rise and Shine held Sundowns to a 1-1 draw midweek in a performance that has revived the team morale after a mini-slump.

“Our target since the start of the season has been to be in the top eight. I think we have showed that we have what it takes, especially against Sundowns,” Chigova added.

While he is the first-choice keeper at City, their opponents Chiefs have had a torrid time dealing with a mini goalkeeping crisis, which eventually forced them to scramble to sign Daniel Akpeyi.

Chigova understands that being a goalkeeper is a thankless job: “It’s not easy you know, because one mistake and you take all the blame. I think Chiefs have good goalkeepers and sometimes a person can just be unlucky. But we will not be going into the game thinking that we will just score against their goalkeeper.”