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The many Soweto Derby questions

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Brilliant Khuzwayo is favoured by Orlando Pirates supporters to play against Kaizer Chiefs. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu / BackpagePix
Brilliant Khuzwayo is favoured by Orlando Pirates supporters to play against Kaizer Chiefs. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu / BackpagePix

There are many questions in supporters’ minds ahead of Saturday’s Soweto derby. When will goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune be back in action for Kaizer Chiefs? Will Brilliant Khuzwayo play his first competitive game in Pirates’ goal against his former club? Will Justin Shonga still be a Pirates player? Will the players who were part of the Bafana Bafana squad in Egypt play any part in the exhibition game? Will all the new recruits experience their maiden Soweto derby?

For now, of the new arrivals, only Lazarous Kambole, who was signed from Zambian side Zesco United, has made it into the Chiefs line-up.

All the other questions will be answered on Saturday at FNB Stadium in the eighth instalment of the Carling Black Label Cup. Kick-off is at 3pm.

Although the fans’ favourite Khune, who has not played for Chiefs since sustaining a shoulder injury during training in December, has been ruled out of the game and his place will go to Bruce Bvuma.

Khuzwayo has only featured for the Buccaneers in the MultiChoice Diski Challenge and has not yet made his official debut for Pirates since crossing the floor from Amakhosi last July. He has been in and out of the squad with an ankle injury.

Shonga has been linked with a move away from Pirates to one of the north African clubs.

Bafana players Thembinkosi Lorch and Innocent Maela (Pirates), as well Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Daniel Cardoso and Bvuma (Chiefs) only returned to the country last weekend from the Afcon tournament in Egypt. They missed out on the off-season break and the preseason training with their clubs.

But if supporters have their way, they’ll be in action on Saturday. The bosses on the day – supporters who voted for the starting line-ups – have also sent a clear message to their coaches by voting for some of the players who hardly saw action last season.

The Ghosts want to see change at the back, calling for the inclusion of defender Justice Chabalala, who was overlooked last season. Amakhosi supporters want to see Eric Mathoho and Lorenzo Gordinho back in action.

The two sides have a number of new additions to their squad with Amakhosi signing Kambole, James Kotei, Kearyn Baccus and Samir Nurkovic.

Pirates have signed the likes of Joris Delle, Kabelo Dlamini, Tshegofatso Mabaso, Fortune Makaringe, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Bongani Sam and Tebogo Tlolane.

Local supporters have been starved of action since May and can’t wait to see their teams on the field, especially as this will be the first time Chiefs and Pirates play in front of their home supporters a week before the Absa Premier League campaign kicks off.

Pirates had their preseason camps in Durban and Cape Town, while Chiefs went to Botswana.

The fans will get a chance to catch their first glimpse of the teams in action since the end of last season.

The Carling Cup has been played annually since 2011, but did not take place last year as it clashed with the World Cup in Russia.

Pirates have won the title on four previous occasions, all via penalty shoot-outs, while Chiefs have three victories, all completed in the 90 minutes.

The two celebrity coaches will be revealed tomorrow, with the final line-ups announced on Wednesday.


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