Kaizer Chiefs will be looking to end a difficult Premier Soccer League run while Orlando Pirates are keen to edge closer to leaders Mamelodi Sundowns when the two giants clash in Sunday’s Soweto derby showdown at FNB Stadium.
Having last won a league match in January, Chiefs have slid down to 11th place on the standings and would want to spark a revival with a derby win.
They face a Pirates side bidding for a Caf Champions League spot for next season as the Buccaneers are currently fourth on the table.
Victory for Pirates will see them settle on second position just below Sundowns who will host Black Leopards on the same afternoon.
As for Amakhosi, winning will help them climb two rungs up on the ladder to ninth place.
| Game | Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates |
| Date | Sunday, March 21 |
| Time | 15:00 SA Time |
TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch
| Online Streaming | TV Channel |
|---|---|
| DStv.com/DStv Now App | SuperSport TV's PSL channel 202/SABC 1 |
Squads & Team News
Backpagepix
Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt will go into this derby missing a number of key players.
Suspended forward Lebogang Manyama will miss the match after he picked up his fourth yellow card in their last league match against Maritzburg United, a game he scored late to earn Amakhosi an away point.
Goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune will not make the derby as he is isolating after recently attending the funeral of his sister.
Last week Hunt confirmed that they will also be without injured Leonardo Castro who has not featured in their last three games across all competitions.
Amakhosi's depleted attack won't be able to call on Khama Billiat either as he is only expected to start training this week after recovering from a broken leg.
Backpagepix
Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer cast doubt over the availability of goalkeeper Richard Ofori who got injured in a Caf Champions League match against ES Setif.
During his absence in the last two games, Siyabonga Mpontshane has guarded goal and Zinnbauer has another option in the experienced Wayne Sandilands if Ofori fails to recover in time for the derby.
The German tactician also suggested that he could start forward Tshegofatso Mabasa who is yet to make the line-up this season in which injuries have blighted his game.
Pirates have not given an update on the status of forwards Thembinkosi Lorch, Jean-Marc Makusu and Zakhele Lepasa who were nursing injuries.
Match Preview
The two traditional foes go into this match on the backdrop of contrasting fortunes in the league campaign.
Chiefs have gone for six straight PSL games without tasting victory and their last win came in January but are unbeaten in their last three games in all competitions.
Their rivals Pirates have gone for four consecutive league matches without suffering defeat and combining matches across all competitions, they are enjoying a 10-match unbeaten run.
Pirates have claimed supremacy over Chiefs on the three occasions the two sides have already clashed this season.
In their first confrontation this term, Pirates beat Chiefs 3-0 in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-finals last October, before the Buccaneers completed a 5-0 aggregate victory after winning the second leg 2-0.
Zinnbauer’s and his men were back again to haunt Amakhosi in a PSL match in January after claiming a 2-1 win at home.
While Pirates are currently enjoying some dominance over old foes, it is, however, Chiefs who enjoy a better record in league meetings.
In the 99 times the two sides have clashed in the league since April 1971, Amakhosi have claimed victory 40 times while Pirates have won 23 matches, with 36 games ending in a share of spoils.
Even in the 172 times they have collided across all competitions, Chiefs boast 69 wins, while Pirates have recorded victory on 44 occasions with 54 games drawn and five abandoned.