The Soweto rivals will face off on Sunday in the pre-season fixture with an online poll pointing to a victory for Amakhosi
The majority of South African football fans have tipped Kaizer Chiefs to win this year’s Carling Black Label Cup when they face their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates.
A Poll conducted on the Goal South Africa Twitter handle shows 56.7% per cent of the fans tipping Amakhosi to emerge as winners on Sunday, while a minority – 43.3% – feel Bucs will lift the trophy.
Disruptive Injuries
The poll came at a time when Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer confirmed he would not have five players at his disposal due to injuries.
Captain Happy Jele, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Zakhele Lepasa and Zimbabwean attacker Terrence Dzvukamanja has been ruled out of the Soweto Derby.
“It’s a big thing as a coach that you have more weeks now. Important as well is that you have players on the pitch,” Zinnbauer said in an earlier interview.
“This time we don’t have so many injuries like last season. Okay‚ right now we have four or five players out‚ like [Tshegofatso] Mabasa‚ [Zakhele] Lepasa‚ Happy [Jele]‚ [Terrence] Dzvukamanja and Vincent Pule. That’s a little bit disruptive, but it’s much better than last season.”
The Glamour Boys – who had a dream season on the continental front having sailed to the Champions League final despite their PSL struggles – have a new coach in Stuart Baxter during Sunday’s encounter.
Baxter – after returning to the club – is hoping to become the second head coach to win the Carling Black Label Cup twice after Steve Komphela did it with the Glamour Boys in 2013.
Itumeleng Khune of Chiefs and Pirates’ Jele are the only players to have featured in all editions since 2011. Jele has won the Carling Black Label Cup on five occasions, and thus he is the most decorated player in the competition’s history.
This year’s pre-season outing gives Pirates a chance to continue with their dominance over the rivals in this clash as they have been winners on five occasions compared to Chiefs’ three trophies.
The 2018 edition was not held due to the Fifa World Cup and the coronavirus pandemic disrupted plans to have it held in 2020.
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