JOHANNESBURG — Six players from Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates could face missing Saturday’s Soweto derby if they pick up another yellow card in their respective midweek Absa Premiership fixtures.
— City Press
Chiefs travel to Cape Town to take on struggling Premier Soccer League outfit Chippa United, while Pirates welcome Bloemfontein Celtic to the Orlando Stadium, both today.
A win leading up to the derby will be crucial for either teams’ confidence, although their coaches will be wary of certain players picking up yellow cards, which would see them suspended for Saturday’s game.
For Stuart Baxter’s Amakhosi, only two defenders Kgotso Moleko and Keegan Ritchie, currently find themselves on three yellows and it would be unlikely that either would start in the derby either way.
However, Roger de Sa’s Bucs has Daine Klate, Thabo Matlaba, Manti Moholo and Onyekachi Okonkwo on the verge of an Absa Premiership suspension, one that could rule them out of the big one this weekend.
Ritchie may be given a start against Chippa due to a possible injury to first choice left-back, Tsepo Masiela, while De Sa may choose to leave Matlaba and/or Klate out of his side to face Celtic in order to guarantee their availability for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa does not enjoy the same advanced keeper training as his Kaizer Chiefs counterpart Itumeleng Khune.
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This is just one major gap between the two Bafana Bafana goalminders expected to man the goal in the Soweto Derby on Saturday.
National team ’keeper trainer Alex Heredia describes Meyiwa (25) as “very athletic and talented”. The two worked together during the recent Africa Cup of Nations tournament as well as at Pirates when Meyiwa was emerging.
Khune was Meyiwa’s understudy at the SA Under-23 six seasons ago.
Said Heredia: “He has all the qualities to perform. There is no way he can go down if he plays more games. He is a true professional with a very high level of self-esteem.”
