Legendary South African goalkeeper Brian Baloyi insists Kaizer Chiefs’ current form is difficult to interpret ahead of Sunday’s Soweto Derby clash with Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium.
The two giants confront each other in a high-stakes Betway Premiership match. Chiefs go into this match brimming with confidence from a six-match unbeaten run, which includes five wins and a draw.
That run of form has placed them third on the table and strengthened their bid to finish the season in the top three and play CAF inter-club football next season. A victory for Amakhosi will help them trim the gap between them and second-placed Pirates to nine points.
But Pirates have ambitions of their own, and on top of their priorities is not to let their closest PSL title rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, wheel away in the race. Baloyi analyses Chiefs’ current form and is careful to warn about reading too much into the unbeaten run.
CAN CHIEFS’ RECENT FORM INSPIRE THEM IN THE SOWETO DERBY AGAINST PIRATES?
“Yes and no. It’s a derby. I would say Chiefs’ form is a double-edged sword. Sometimes good form works for you going into the derby, and sometimes it doesn’t,” Baloyi told FARPost.
“I always feel that in recent years, Chiefs do much in the derby when they go as underdogs.
“Look at how we lost to Sekhukhune and Pirates. When you look at these losses, this team still has to prove if they are a title contender. They can do that if they beat the top five teams. Now they are looking at the third spot and qualify for Africa.”
Turning to Pirates’ form, they have been recording big wins while also dropping points in games where they are expected to cruise to victory. But Baloyi does not view Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men that way and instead cites their overall performances in recent seasons.
“No, Pirates are consistent. They are a team that has been doing well for the past three years, winning trophies and finishing second,” said Baloyi.
“Yes, they dropped points at a time when Sundowns were picking up. Honestly, you are not going to win all the games, at some point you are going to drop points, but it’s the time of the season where u have to be careful from dropping points willy-nilly.”
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