Chiefs Celebrating a Draw ‘Killing the Spirit of the Derby’

Kaizer Chiefs players have come under fire for celebrating a draw in the last Soweto Derby, with super fan Masilo Machaka saying the scenes are killing the spirit of the famous rivalry.

The debate started again after the latest episode of the SuperSport documentary Giants showed the Amakhosi change room in a happy mood after the 1-1 result against Orlando Pirates. Chiefs had gone ahead in the second half through a goal by Pule Mmodi, but Kamohelo Sebelebele equalised for the Buccaneers with 15 minutes left.

Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou questioned the celebration at the time. He said it looked as if the draw was a fantastic result for such a big club. He felt both teams should have been disappointed because his side lost two points while chasing the league title.

Machaka, a well-known Chiefs supporter, told KickOff he agrees with those asking why the players celebrated a draw. “Even we as fans never celebrate a draw,” he said. He added that times have changed. In the past, players would be emotional after the game and tell each other they should have scored more goals. They fought instead of celebrating.

“Now this is killing the spirit of the derby,” Machaka said. “We as fans are fighting among each other and then they are celebrating. It would be nice if they were to come out and say why they celebrated a draw. The answer must come from them, not us, so that we get to understand.”

He stressed that a draw should never be treated as an achievement in this fixture. “A Bafana Bafana call-up is something to celebrate, for example, but a draw? Even though Pirates are the better team and have been doing well, any team that comes out of a derby with a draw should be disappointed because when they meet, it is the pride of Gauteng.”

Machaka also pointed to the deep history between the clubs. Kaizer Motaung left Orlando Pirates to form Chiefs, and that connection is part of what makes every meeting special. Tickets for these games usually sell out within hours because of the passion involved.

The two sides meet again in the Betway Premiership at FNB Stadium on Saturday at 15:30. Fans will be watching closely to see if the players approach the game with the same intensity that supporters still expect from the Soweto Derby.

Source: https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2115043395160678572

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