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| Derby date: Majoro makes the switch |
JUST when you thought it was safe to predict a solid Soweto
Derby win for Kaizer Chiefs, along comes a wet Wednesday night in the PSL to
put all prophesies on hold.
While Orlando Pirates – complete with new boss Vladimir “Work
Permit” Vermezovic and substitute Lehlohonolo “Big Ballz” Majoro – sloshed
their way to a 1-0 win over Moroka Swallows in the "original" Soweto derby, Platinum Stars ended the
AmaKhosi’s four-month streak with a comprehensive 2-0 win at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
Shock swept the nation, much like the monsoon currently
engulging us. Chiefs, unbeaten since Ajax Cape Town on November 5, went in to
the game against Allan Freese’s unsung heroes on the back of an emphatic 7-0 African
Champions League triumph over Mozambique champions Liga Muçulmana with
Knowledge Musona slamming a quick hat-trick in Maputo.
This was supposed to be No 18. Stuart Baxter, who won the PSL and Nedbank Cup double in his
first season at Naturena last year, completely under-estimated the Fokeng Crocodiles,
ignoring the fact Dikwena had gobbled up the MTN8 and Telkom KO silverware
before Christmas.
Mbax “rested” his three top scorers – Knowledge, Kingston
Nkatha and the PSL’s hottest shot Bernard Parker – and opted to go with a rusty
Katlego “Killer” Mphela up front on his own. Surprisingly, Wolverhampton-born
Baxter also went with his infamous “three towers” formation with Morgan Gould,
Tefu Mashamaite and Eric Mathoho forming a centre-back triangle, much like that one off Bermuda where people go missing.
Freese’s men never looked back. The impressive Siphelele
Mthembu threaded his way through the trio of towers after just nine minutes to
beat goalkeeping stand-in Reyaad Pieterse and free-scoring Malawian Robert
Ng'ambi wrapped things up on the hour, chesting home the second on the far post.
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| Close shave: getting rid of the "Kaizer Chiefs unbeaten" beard during BOLLOCKZ! at Ballz this morning |
By then, the impatient AmaKhosi, gloating over their 17-match
run of W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-W-D-D-W-W-W-W, were beginning to grumble. Even the arrival of
Knowledge and Kingston failed to cheer things up. The leaders were well-beaten.
The beard I started way back at the start of that run was GONE – I promised
Stuart I’d shave when they lost, and I spent this morning presenting my
football show BOLLOCKZ! while ridding myself of facial hair.
And throughout that high-quality clash in Fokeng, Orlando
Pirates were producing a vital but unspectacular win at Dobsonville.
Kermit Erasmus, so poor in caretaker Eric Tinkler’s final
game – a hugely disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of AmaTuks – did EXACTLY
what he said he would and upped his game. The former SuperSport United man hit
the post early on and then crashed home the only goal of the game to put a rare
smile on VV’s face.
After his first game in charge, Vlad said before the
gigantic clash against his former club: “It was the win we needed to lift the
mood before the Soweto Derby. There is still a lot to be done. But I watched
the reserves today, Klate, Sangweni and the rest are all ready to step up to the first team.”
With the Chiefs run broken and Pirates apparently
rejuvenated by their new coach, those confident predictions of continued AmaKhosi
success are scuppered. Mphela? He wouldn’t need Barry Roux to rid him of the “Killer”
tag right now. He is entirely innocent, he hasn't produced a lethal shot in ages. For the first time this season, tough midfielder Willard
Katsande was unable to halt the opposition’s flow, only Simphiwe Tshabalala appeared to be ready and willing on a difficult night in the North West.
And with the BIG ONE looming, it’s all going off. Majoro emerged after his brief first
outing for Pirates since his controversial move from Chiefs to say he was
prepared for the boo-boys at Soccer City on Saturday, eager to prove his point against his former team-mates. AmaKhosi captain and
goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, officially out for a month after spraining his
ankle before Bafana Bafana’s record 5-0 defeat against Brazil, is now rated
50-50 to play in front of 90,000 in South Africa’s showpiece. A miraculous recovery.
And then there was Zeca Marques, the crest-fallen Swallows boss,
telling us: “There is no justice in football. Senzo Meyiwa was Pirates man of the
match, he made two great saves in the second half. No way we should have lost
that game.”
And Zeca’s right. Pirates weren’t that impressive. Chiefs
will have their three big guns back on Saturday. Baxter knows defeat in the
Soweto Derby will put dangerous Bidvest Wits right back in it if they beat
lowly Free State Stars in the evening game on Saturday.
That combination of results will put the Clever Boys firmly
back in the Hunt, as Gavin will point out: a game in hand, three points behind.
Baxter is well aware of that. Chiefs can’t lose on Saturday.
Pirates aren’t good enough to beat them. But a draw might suit both parties.
Me? I’m going for an AmaKhosi win with Parker, Musona and/or Nkatha back in the
starting line-up.
But this is the Derby. Only a madman makes predictions when
Chiefs play Pirates. Form counts for nothing they say. So I’m sticking to my guns: Chiefs 3-1.
Whilst I was shaving, also spoke to Danny Jordaan, the SAFA president about the future of Bafana Bafana and our women, Banyana Banyana, on BOLLOCKZ! this morning. The interview is HERE:
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You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.
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