Remembering Orlando Pirates in '95: Can it inspire Kaizer Chiefs?

Of the two Soweto rivals, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, it's only the Buccaneers who have won Africa's most prestigious club competition, the Caf Champions League.

Ever since Chiefs' formation 51 years ago, after breaking away from Pirates to form a new club, there has been an intense rivalry.

For the most part it's been good natured, although there have been some dark moments, such as the Ellis Park disaster of 2001 in which 43 fans lost their lives.

While Pirates are the older club, steeped even deeper in history than their Soweto rivals, Chiefs' success of the 1970s, 1980s and some of the 90s, have made them South Africa's most popular team.

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They've outdone Pirates in domestic trophy success over the past five decades, but, and it's a big but , Bucs supporters can rightfully argue that their club has an edge over the Glamour Boys in terms of success on the continent.

Pirates have twice played in the Champions League final - they lost to Al-Ahly in 2013, and they beat a powerful ASEC Mimosas side back in 1995.

They also lost in the 2015 Confederation Cup final - the same competition Chiefs won in 2001 (then called the Cup Winners' Cup).

However, the Champions League remains the big one, and until Chiefs have won that, they can't truly put themselves in the same bracket as Pirates, or Mamelodi Sundowns for that matter, the Pretoria club having been crowned African champions in 2016.

Now, at the end of a season in which the Chiefs players as well as the club and club management have taken a lot of criticism from their supporters, the opportunity is there to put things right in the best possible manner - by silencing fans of their bitter rivals Pirates by joining Bucs as champions of Africa.

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Sikhosana inspiration

Orlando Pirates striker Jerry Sikhosana’s winning goal in the second leg of the final against ASEC Mimosas in 1995, away in Abidjan, is the stuff of legend.

After a 2-2 draw in Johannesburg in the first leg, the odds had been heavily stacked against Pirates when they travelled to the Ivory Coast for the decider.

In a tight edgy match, Sikhosana ran onto a long hoofed clearance from Mark Fish in the 73rd minute....time seemed to stand still as Sikhosana out-foxed two defenders with a clever dummy before sprinting goalwards, taking the ball past the keeper and slotting into an empty net.

It remains one of South African football’s most iconic moments.

Like Pirates were 26 years ago, Amakhosi will also be underdogs on Saturday, and now the stage is set for one of the Chiefs contingent to make a new memory for a new generation and help keep the Glamour Boys in the upper echelon of African football while indirectly getting one over their oldest rivals.

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

• Comparing Kaizer Chiefs in 2001 and 2021

• Remembering Kaizer Chiefs' five best games of the season so far

• Agent: I didn't have to convince Nurkovic to join Kaizer Chiefs