A Soweto Derby of 'up-and-coming young players' - Augusto Palacios expects Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates to unleash starlets with focus on Mduduzi Shabalala, Relebohile Mofokeng and others

Kaizer Chiefs will be the away side when they face Orlando Pirates in the first Soweto Derby of the 2024/25 season on Saturday.

It will be the Premier Soccer League clash between the two Soweto giants and former Pirates coach Augusto Palacios is excited that younger players are likely to play a key role.

Pirates have the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota while Chiefs have been banking on Mduduzi Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi.

"This is a derby for the up-and-coming young players. They remind me of years ago. They take me back 15 years when top teams in this country believed in young talent," says the well-travelled coach, previewing the clash with KickOff.com.

"What makes this derby particularly interesting is that some players will be experiencing it for the first time. I'm urging these young players not to put too much pressure on themselves.

"They should enjoy the game. Trying to do too much can hurt your performance," added the former Buccaneers coach.

"It’s crucial for the senior players to guide the youngsters.

"Expect an exciting match. There are no favourites here. Football is full of surprises.

"Both teams feature young players who are currently scoring goals. I predict a very tough game. Neither team will win by three or four goals; it will be close," he continued.

"Both teams will be playing to win, and no one is aiming for a draw."

While the Soweto Derby is viewed as a show about which side has their young players shining brightest, it could be more than that.

It might turn out to be a test of character to see if those rising players can be relied upon on the biggest occasion.

Mofokeng is already in the Bafana Bafana fold and Chefs youngsters are pushing to impress coach Hugo Broos and join him.

Both Chiefs and Pirates are finalising their preparations for the Soweto Derby.

It is a match the Buccaneers want to win and keep track of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns while fifth-placed Amalhosi would want to get into the top four.