Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs supremo Kaizer Motaung was once at the forefront of his team’s most telling Soweto Derby conquest against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates, who were hammered 7-3 in 1972 by the Glamour Boys.
Never in the history of the fabled Soweto Derby has a final scoreline ever been so one-sided. The Chiefs win was achieved in February 1972 in Orlando, where the second leg of the Champion of Champions final was played.
Their victory will also rank among the most famous come-from-behind Soweto Derby wins after Pirates enjoyed a 2-0 half-time lead.
The goals were scored by David Fakude (a penalty) and Blessing ‘Killer’ Mgidi, who later played for Soweto rivals Moroka Swallows and Chiefs as well.
Chiefs turned the match on its head in the second half and managed three goals, while Pirates added a third and the 3-3 stalemate forced the match into extra-time.
Pirates were expecting to do even better in the second half because Chiefs were weakened when top striker Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe left the field injured late in the second half but it wasn’t to be.
Their coach Nick Koapeng was convinced that Chiefs had a spy listening to the team’s half-time talk.
Legendary goalkeeper Joseph ‘Banks’ Setlhodi scored Chiefs’ first goal from the penalty spot.
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It was unusual for the keeper to take penalties, but years later, Setlhodi explained: “Because of the big competition with Patson (Banda), I took the penalties in a derby to show him who was the best.
“It was to say, ‘I am always one or two steps ahead of you’.”
Setlhodi enjoyed a great rivalry with the famous Pirates keeper Patson ‘Kamuzu’ Banda. In 1972, Setlhodi scored three Soweto Derby penalties, a feat still unmatched by a Chiefs or Pirates goalkeeper today.
Herman ‘Pelé’ Blaschke and Ariel ‘Pro’ Kgongoane were next to score and Chiefs led 3-2. This looked like a match-winning lead, but Alfred Jacobs had other ideas and scored a late equaliser for Pirates, forcing extra-time.
Next Kaizer Chiefs Match!
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⚽️Orlando Pirates vs. Kaizer Chiefs
👕First Team
🗓️Saturday 29 October 2022
🏟FNB Stadium
🕞15h30
📺SuperSport PSL 202 & SABC 1
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From that point onwards, it was all Chiefs as they scored four unanswered goals.
Michael ‘Bizzah’ Dlamini started the rot, and Motaung followed suit. The eventual Man of the Match, Johnny ‘Magwegwe’ Mokoena – who had a hand in several earlier goals – closed out the 7-3 rout with two further goals.
Chiefs fans were indeed in seventh heaven and with every passing Soweto Derby, they dream about another 10-goal thriller.
A trip further down memory lane unearthed another famous Soweto Derby conquest for Chiefs in the Coca-Cola Cup first-round clash in July 1992.
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It was yet another come-from-behind win for Chiefs, the eventual 3-2 winners, again after extra-time.
But it was just what the good doctor ordered as Chiefs’ favourite son, Doctor Khumalo, laid on the winner for Fani Madida to score the winner.
Again, Pirates went up 2-0 after leading 1-0 at the break. Tsepo Ntsoane scored in the first half and David ‘Going Up’ Nyathi scored after the break.
A second-half handball by Bernard ‘Shoes’ Lushozi saw referee Stan Swart point to the spot, and Madida converted.
This goal lit the fire in the belly of every player in the Chiefs ranks and in the dying moments, Albert Bwalya cracked home a volley that rocked Pirates’ net.
It was the beginning of the end for Pirates as Kumalo’s wizardry caught Pirates off guard when he supplied Madida for the match-winning header.
And then there was a unique Soweto Derby which was played over two days, after the referee felt it was too dark to continue into the penalty shoot-out phase, and Chiefs won the replay 2-0.
The 1984 JPS Knock-out Cup quarter-final ended 3-3 after Chiefs enjoyed an early 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Samora Khulu and Trevor Mtimkulu.
Jeff Ntsibande responded for Pirates from the penalty spot, and then Nick Seshweni snatched the equaliser in the dying moments to send the game into extra-time.
Mandla Sithole scored first for the Buccaneers and later Teenage Dladla equalised two minutes from the end for Chiefs.
The referee decided it was too dark and that the teams would have to come back another day, and the date was set for a new match, which Chiefs won 2-0.
Extra-time is not an option on Saturday at FNB Stadium though in this DStv Premiership clash.
IOL Sport