Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is facing the risk of going into Saturday’s Soweto Derby confrontation with Kaizer Chiefs having limited options following fitness concerns on key players.
The Buccaneers face Amakhosi at FNB Stadium, keen to reclaim Betway Premiership top spot. They fell to second position on Tuesday evening after Mamelodi Sundowns beat AmaZulu FC 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
However, the two giants are locked at 38 points each, with goal difference separating them. Victory over Chiefs would be crucial for Ouaddou and his men to deny Sundowns the opportunity to open a gap in the title race.
Masandawana will host third-placed and tricky Sekhukhune United the day after the Soweto Derby. But the traditional fixture between Soweto sides comes as Pirates are still licking the wounds from last week’s 2-1 league defeat by Sundowns.
They were then stunned by Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit Casric Stars, who dumped them out of the Nedbank Cup. Their rivals, Chiefs, face a similar predicament after reeling from a CAF Confederation Cup exit. Their campaign ended in the group stages following a 2-1 defeat to Zamalek SC.
Amakhosi were also defeated 2-1 by Stellenbosch in a league tie at FNB Stadium on Tuesday. It was a result that denied Chiefs a chance to climb from fourth to third in the standings and close in on the leading pack.
With both Soweto giants desperate to recover after losing two consecutive games heading into the derby, Saturday’s showdown promises to be a stormy affair.
FITNESS CONCERNS HEADLINE PIRATES’ CAMP AHEAD OF SOWETO DERBY
Despite the setback of going into this match against the backdrop of a two-match losing run, the Pirates camp has been hit by a spate of injuries to key players. Striker Evidence Makgopa has been working to regain his fitness at a time when Ouaddou has been complaining about a blunt strikeforce.
After FARPost spotted Makgopa participating in full training on Monday last week, his absence against Sundowns and Casric Stars might be viewed as a precautionary measure to keep him fresh for the game against Chiefs. Boitumelo Radiopane joins Makgopa as another striker racing to be fit for the Soweto Derby clash.
The crisis upfront saw Ouaddou assigning versatile player Andre de Jong to spearhead Pirates’ attack against Casric Stars, a match they struggled upfront.
Although Pirates kept a clean sheet against Casric Stars, they have looked jittery at the back lately. Their defensive instability stems from the absence of Tapelo Xoki and Thabiso Lebitso, both of whom are sidelined. Meanwhile, injuries to Sipho Mbule, Thalente Mbatha, and Kabelo Dlamini have left the midfield thin, though all three will be hoping to recover in time for the derby.”
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