Former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper John Tlale has shared his views on the eagerly anticipated Soweto Derby match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, explaining why Amakhosi feel the pressure.
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Tlale believes it is not easy to predict a winner between Chiefs and Pirates because this is a cup game and any team that dishes out good football and converts chances will emerge victorious.
Heading to the match, Chiefs are out to redeem themselves and ease the pressure following a loss to Swallows FC in the DStv Premiership earlier this week.
JOHN TLALE SHARES OPINIONS ON THE CHIEFS VS. PIRATES
The former Mamelodi Sundowns gloveman, Tlale is of the view that Amakhosi, as Chiefs are known, are under immense pressure to end the undesired trophy drought.
He added that his wish is to see coach Arthur Zwane’s troops going all the way to win the lucrative title and unseat Masandawana as champions.
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“Look, the derby doesn’t have underdogs and in this match, a team that performs very well on the day is the one that will win the match,” Tlale told The South African.
“Chiefs are definitely desperate between the two, they are under pressure. Chiefs can’t go for more than seven seasons without a trophy when you look at their status.
“So, let’s hope this one will go their way. It’s been tough times for them, especially for the coach Arthur Zwane. I think he has done well and I really hope he will win this trophy.
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“I wish he can pick up a trophy for the club and the fans. Yes, the fact that he has youngsters might work against him, building a team with young boys will take time. But I think it’s a matter of time before he gets things right and the boys are starting to gel – they understand him from the MultiChoice Diski Challenge.
“Some of the youngsters are not really struggling and they are showing good signs.”
JOHN TLALE ON WHY A WIN FOR CHIEFS WILL BENEFIT SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL
The 1996 CAF African Cup of Nations winner with Bafana under legendary coach Clive Barker believes a victory for the Glamour Boys will benefit the nation.
Should Chiefs reach the final, they will participate in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup tournament with the eventual winners.
At the same time, Jose Riveiros’ troops, Pirates are gunning for a second spot in the DStv Premiership and are on the verge of joining Sundowns in the Champions League in the upcoming campaign.
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“A win for Chiefs will definitely boost South African football because they will join Sundowns in Africa (Confederation Cup). It will also be good to see Pirates finishing as number two and take part in the Champions League as well,” he added.
“That will be a good plus for the local game. The Big Three to be in the continent and that will go a long way to help and boost the national team.
“But as I said, we can’t really easily predict the winner because a match of this calibre can go either way. The previous results don’t matter in a match of this magnitude.
“Pirates drew and Chiefs lost their recent match and you’ll remember at some point Chiefs were not doing well but they still managed to beat Pirates.”
The two Soweto giants are set to face each other in the Nedbank Cup semi-final encounter at the iconic FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 15:00 (CAT).
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