Orlando Pirates defender Tapelo Xoki says he was not surprised that they outclassed Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 in the first Soweto Derby of the season, adding that there could be a repeat thrashing on Sunday.
The Soweto giants rekindle their rivalry at FNB Stadium with a lot at stake in this confrontation. The derby showdown comes at a time when the Betway Premiership campaign is now in the home stretch.
Pirates are bidding for the league title and are currently at the top of the table with a point more than second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns. However, the Brazilians have played one game fewer than The Ghost.
While Pirates are prioritising staying at the summit, third-placed Chiefs would also want to bolster their quest to secure a spot in continental football next season. But they face the Buccaneers, who beat them 3-0 in the last Soweto Derby clash in February.
They come up against the Buccaneers, who have been high-scoring in recent matches, including walloping TS Galaxy FC 6-0, Golden Arrows FC 5-0 and beating AmaZulu FC 3-0 in their last game. That is a threat to Amakhosi’s own six-match unbeaten run.
‘ONCE WE CLICK, ANY SCORELINE IS POSSIBLE’: XOKI BOLD AHEAD OF PIRATES FACING CHIEFS
“Many people are surprised when we get these scorelines. But within the club, we are not really surprised because we see the work behind the scenes,” Xoki told the media.
“We see the preparations going into these games. Yes, in a big game like that [Soweto Derby], we expect maybe a bit of resistance from the opposition, but once we click, any scoreline is possible with our team because we have hungry young players who are doing so well for the club.
“We have people who are pushing them behind the scenes. For us, once we see the scoreline, we are not really surprised. We get encouragement that the processes are going well, and we have to make sure that we keep it that way.”
THE RELEBOHILE MOFOKENG FACTOR GOING INTO THE SOWETO DERBY
Pirates go into the Soweto Derby with attacker Relebohile Mofokeng in top form and could be the man to watch for Chiefs. After starting the season slowly, the 21-year-old has been relentless in the second half of the season.
He is currently on 10 league goals and seven assists while also being crowned Man of the Match six times. Mofokeng’s form could be a major concern for Chiefs.
“The difference [between Mofokeng in the first half of the season and now] is the conversion. As I said, we are not surprised when we get these scorelines, but for us it’s a matter of conversion,” Xoki added.
“We had a lot of chances in the previous games that we didn’t convert, but this time around, we are converting the chances. But not only that, it’s the work behind the scenes.
“The extra work that these guys are putting in. The extra shooting, the extra free kicks are coming in handy for us now, and people are starting to see the benefits of those.
“It’s for us to encourage that type of mindset to say, ‘okay, doing enough is not enough, we have to go an extra mile,’ and the guys have gone an extra mile, and the results are showing,” concluded the former AmaZulu FC captain.
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