With a maiden official Soweto derby beckoning, exciting Kaizer Chiefs youngster Mduduzi Shabalala, 19, has laid bare the affection he had as a kid for Orlando Pirates and their star player Thembinkosi Lorch.
Shabalala is odds-on to taste his first ever competitive Soweto derby when Chiefs welcome Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm). Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference, arranged by the sponsor of both teams, Vodacom, at their headquarters in Midrand yesterday, Shabalala opened up about supporting Pirates as a kid. He disclosed he and other family members had since changed allegiances but his father remains a staunch Buccaneer.
"I grew up supporting Pirates... everyone at home was supporting Pirates. Since I joined Chiefs, I had to change and support Chiefs. I will now die a Chiefs fan. At home, I have managed to influence my mother and my siblings to change to Chiefs but my father has refused to change. Even now he [his father] says they'll beat us... he loves Pirates very much,'' Shabalala revealed.
"My most memorable derby was in 2019 I think... when Chiefs were leading 1-0 and Thembinkosi Lorch equalised for Pirates after a pass from Ben Motshwari. Lorch then took off his shirt. That's when I started to love Lorch wholeheartedly."
Shabalala, who boasts two league goals from eight appearances, is basking in his meteoric rise and raring to feature in his first Soweto derby. The Chiefs development graduate has vowed they'll give their all at FNB Stadium, coming from a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Golden Arrows, where they surrendered the lead twice, at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
"It's quite exciting to be myself at the moment. Playing in the Soweto derby is something I have been dreaming about since I was a kid. I used to envy players like Happy Jele and Itu [Itumeleng Khune] playing the derby,'' Shabalala said.
"We know we disappointed our fans against Arrows but now that's behind us. We will go out there and fight very hard. We want to make our fans smile again."
Lorch fan Shabalala looks forward to his first derby
Chiefs youngster raring to feature against nemesis Bucs
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
With a maiden official Soweto derby beckoning, exciting Kaizer Chiefs youngster Mduduzi Shabalala, 19, has laid bare the affection he had as a kid for Orlando Pirates and their star player Thembinkosi Lorch.
Shabalala is odds-on to taste his first ever competitive Soweto derby when Chiefs welcome Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm). Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference, arranged by the sponsor of both teams, Vodacom, at their headquarters in Midrand yesterday, Shabalala opened up about supporting Pirates as a kid. He disclosed he and other family members had since changed allegiances but his father remains a staunch Buccaneer.
"I grew up supporting Pirates... everyone at home was supporting Pirates. Since I joined Chiefs, I had to change and support Chiefs. I will now die a Chiefs fan. At home, I have managed to influence my mother and my siblings to change to Chiefs but my father has refused to change. Even now he [his father] says they'll beat us... he loves Pirates very much,'' Shabalala revealed.
"My most memorable derby was in 2019 I think... when Chiefs were leading 1-0 and Thembinkosi Lorch equalised for Pirates after a pass from Ben Motshwari. Lorch then took off his shirt. That's when I started to love Lorch wholeheartedly."
Shabalala, who boasts two league goals from eight appearances, is basking in his meteoric rise and raring to feature in his first Soweto derby. The Chiefs development graduate has vowed they'll give their all at FNB Stadium, coming from a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Golden Arrows, where they surrendered the lead twice, at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
"It's quite exciting to be myself at the moment. Playing in the Soweto derby is something I have been dreaming about since I was a kid. I used to envy players like Happy Jele and Itu [Itumeleng Khune] playing the derby,'' Shabalala said.
"We know we disappointed our fans against Arrows but now that's behind us. We will go out there and fight very hard. We want to make our fans smile again."
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