Orlando Pirates Reserves and their Kaizer Chiefs counterparts will provide a fitting closing to the year in the DStv Diski Challenge when they do battle at Dobsonville Stadium this saturday.
It’s “take two” of a highly anticipated Soweto Derby which was unfortunately called off earlier in the month.
Potentially dangerous weather conditions in and around Soweto forced the rescheduling of the fixture. The two rivals now get the opportunity to thrill the spectators one last time in 2024 as the Reserve League heads to a hiatus.
Form Guide
The fixture postponement, along with a bye in the previous game week, has resulted in two weeks of inactivity for the young Buccaneers. Not being able to add to their points tally has seen them drop down to eighth place in the standings, widening the gap between themselves and the summit of the table.
Their last completed fixture was a 1-1 stalemate at home to Richards Bay, taking their tally in the five most recent outings to 10 out of an available 15 points. Nine of their points came through wins against Lamontville Golden Arrows, Chippa United and Stellenbosch, while a home defeat to SuperSport United set them back significantly in their pursuit for top spot.
Billed as the away team in the derby, Pirates are determined to maintain their decent record on the road after bagging maximum points on three out of five attempts away from home, losing just once. It promises to be no easy task however against a side that is yet to taste defeat at home.
Chiefs Reserves also go into the clash with the advantage of having been involved in another big fixture over the past weekend when they played to an entertaining 2-2 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns. The point earned from the encounter kept them in the hunt for the title as they sit in third place, five points behind the log-leading Stellenbosch. It also stretched their unbeaten run, which now stands at seven games where they have won four and drawn three.
Head-to-Head
Pirates were unable to secure a win across two Soweto Derby fixtures last season when they played to a one-all stalemate in the earlier game before going down 2-0 in their home leg. The latter result ended a two-year spell where the Bucs Reserves had a clear upper hand in the rivalry with two wins and no defeats in the four games played during that period.
Despite their recent struggles, the Buccaneers still maintain a slight edge over their rivals, having collected three victories to Amakhosi’s two in the last seven meetings between the two sides.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates Reserves vs Kaizer Chiefs
The match is scheduled to kick off at 12:30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL (Channel 202) and La Liga (Channel 204). Fans can also follow live updates on Orlando Pirates’ official social media channels. Entry to the match venue is free.
