adminLovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
ONE of the biggest rivalries in African football will be rekindled today when Kaizer Chiefs take on Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium in an Absa Premiership clash.
A hero of many such clashes in the 1970s, Ebson Sugar Muguyo, a legend on both sides of the Limpopo River, yesterday described the match as the ultimate football experience in South Africa. He said during his days it was a match which separated men from boys as every player would in the days preceding the game give it his all in order to be considered for selection.
“It was a great match, the ultimate battle for any football fan as every player wanted to participate in it,” said Muguyo who had a glittering career here in Zimbabwe for Zimbabwe Saints and Eagles.
He said during his period at Kaizer Chiefs they dominated the derbies. His Amakhosi side was simmering with talent and won most of the matches pitting the two Soweto rivals.
In the 1970s, the rivalry between the two was intense as Chiefs’ players had broken ranks with Orlando Pirates on Janury 7, 1970.
Founding star Kaizer Moutang, who is the club board chairman, had returned from North America to find some of his teammates and friends alleging that they had been ill-treated. He formed Kaizer X1 a project that started off with friendlies with the first encounter between the two sides on January 24 of the same year.
With the encouragement of his dad, Kaizer eventually stuck to the idea of a fully fledged team to compete on South African soil and thus a soccer brand was hatched.
“We were winning most of the games. We were the better team and we always beat them when ever we played. Tomorrow should not be any different, I have confidence in the team we have,” said the man rated among the best 40 players ever to turn out for Chiefs.
Muguyo is still popular among yesteryear players, fans and journalists in South Africa. His trademark booming shots made him a crowd favourite in a generation that had Motaung, the late Ace Ntsolongoe, Teenage Dladla, General Lamola, captain Ryder Mofokeng, Jackie and Tsepo Malombo and goalkeeper Gordon Banks. Another player was Pro Khumalo, the father of another legend Doctor Thephillus Khumalo.
Pirates were no pushovers, fired by a player considered to be the best South African talent to come out of Soweto, Jomo Sono.
Former Bafana Bafana defender Shakes Mashaba and great goalkeeper Patson Banda were part of the impressive Orlando Pirates side.
This afternoon the two clubs will clash with another sprinkling of Zimbabwean talent on tow.
Chiefs will look up to the exploits of Knwoledge Musona and Kingstone Nkhata to keep on banging goals. In midfield Willard Katsande will be expected to break all Pirates’ build ups with the tenacity he has shown in the past.
There are worries among some that the absence of South Africa first choice goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune could be a key factor on the result.
He said; “It’s not true, Chiefs have a complete side. I have faith in the infield players and I have no doubt that they will deliver. Khune’s absence should not be much of a factor and I am sure the boys are up to the task and will win this match as they march towards yet another title.”
The tie is regarded as one of the biggest derbies not only in Africa but the world at large with audiences across the globe to follow proceedings on television and social platforms today.
Online Reporter