Outspoken soccer analyst Junior Khanye believes Orlando Pirates will hold the upper hand over his former club Kaizer Chiefs when the two sides meet in this weekend’s Soweto Derby.
The Soweto giants are set to clash in the Betway Premiership on Sunday afternoon, with plenty at stake for both teams.
Pirates ran out convincing 3-0 winners in the first-round encounter, leaving Amakhosi eager to respond.
Speaking on iDiski TV, Khanye suggested the upcoming derby is unlikely to be as one-sided, predicting a more cautious approach from Kaizer Chiefs as they look to contain a confident Pirates outfit.
“The difference now is that they know who they are playing against, especially this season. Before that game, they had not faced a Pirates side this strong,” said Khanye.
“It’s not going to be an easy game for Chiefs after that 3-0 defeat. I expect them to monitor certain players closely. I don’t think they will play an open game, they could go with three centre-backs and pack the midfield. A draw might be their target.”
Khanye also pointed to Pirates’ recent dominance in the fixture, with the Buccaneers winning their last five league meetings against Chiefs, suggesting that psychological factors could play a role.
“They respect Orlando Pirates now. It won’t be as simple as the first round,” he added.
“They might assign a player to mark Relebohile Mofokeng closely. Players like Nkosingiphile Ndlovu and Samkelo Mthethwa could start, with Lebogang Maboe featuring in midfield.”
Khanye says Kaizer Chiefs have struggled against Pirates
He further claimed that Chiefs players have struggled mentally in recent derbies, though he highlighted set-pieces as a potential area of strength.
“Chiefs players tend to freeze against Pirates, but they can be dangerous from set-pieces. Someone like Christian Saile Lilepo has the height and ability to make an impact,” Khanye added.
Khanye concluded by suggesting that young attackers such as Mduduzi Shabalala and Wandile Duba may struggle to influence the outcome of such a high-pressure encounter.
Kaizer Chiefs have lost five consecutive league derbies to Orlando Pirates.
