I came to this match to cover football as usual, but such was the lingering anger and bitterness among Kaizer Chiefs supporters that I could well have ended the day as a war correspondent if this match didn’t end in a stalemate 

Not that the draw helps either of these Soweto sides. Nothing better happened here for Chiefs in their engagement with fellow struggling neighbours Moroka Swallows in a Soweto derby that has become an eyesore in recent years as both sides’ fortunes have deteriorated. 

A 0-0 draw is still a bad result, especially for Chiefs who are ending an unprecedented ninth season without a trophy. 

There was no moment more embarrassing to Chiefs than what occurred here last Sunday when Cavin Johnson’s charges were knocked out of the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup by Milford FC, a KwaZulu-Natal-based first division team that was campaigning in the amateur ranks just a year ago.

That Chiefs fans didn't respond with violence towards the clubs' interim coach Johnson after seeing their beloved team losing 5-4 on penalties to Milford was a miracle — Chiefs fans have already turned violent four times this season.

Perhaps Amakhosi fans were so shaken by last week’s result that they lost all the energy to conjure up something.   

Had a 10-man Chiefs suffered a defeat here against a Swallows side that came here winless in eight previous DStv Premiership, one could not rule out a worse situation erupting. Chiefs defender Edmilson Dove put his team under pressure when he earned a red card for a foul on Swallows striker Gabadinho Mhango a few minutes after the restart. 

Molefi Ntseki, a seventh coach to guide the side in Chiefs’ nine barren years, had to leave the club at the end of October after Chiefs fans pelted him with missiles. This was after Chiefs had been booted out in the first round of the Carling Knockout Cup by AmaZulu FC.

That was the fourth time Chiefs supporters had responded in that fashion after a defeat this season. The unbecoming behaviour started in August at the Mbombela Stadium after Chiefs’ 1-0 lead loss to TS Galaxy, and continued after another league loss against SuperSport United in September before they did it again in the same month when Mamelodi Sundowns knocked them out in the semifinals of the MTN8.

The severest of punishments the PSL has meted out to Chiefs this season was sanctioning them to play at least one match behind closed doors — a 3-2 home win against rookies Cape Town Spurs on November 8.

The Spurs match came three days before Chiefs met Orlando Pirates in the first round of the Soweto derby — the derby that everyone is still excited about even though both clubs are battling to catch up with Sundowns who are set to win a seventh successive league title this season.

Chiefs’ loss against Milford came when it was clear there was no likelihood they could catch Sundowns in the league. But Johnson would have preferred to go to the second-round league encounter against Pirates here on Saturday on the back of positive results. 

Chiefs will meet Lamontville Golden Arrows here on Tuesday in a game that may give some an indication of where they will be, form-wise that is, by the time they meet Pirates on Saturday.

The Buccaneers beat Polokwane City 1-0 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday and will come to the derby in better shape and with more hope if they get another win against Spurs in Orlando on Wednesday. 

Saturday's victory moved Bucs to the fourth spot and 13 points off Sundowns who have two games in hand. Based on current form, it is Pirates who will start Saturday’s derby not only as favourites, but a team with a chance to at least complete a double over Chiefs to increase their chances of finishing as runners-up to Sundowns again in the league.