Thierry Henry watches Orlando Pirates extend dominance over Kaizer Chiefs

Share current article via EmailShare current article via FacebookShare current article via TwitterShare current article via LinkedInMahlatse MphahleleSports reporter at FNB Stadium

Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowEnter fullscreen mode displaying this image.ExpandYanela Mbuthuma of Orlando Pirates celebrates goal with teammates during the Betway Premiership 2026/27 match against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on the 31 October 2026. The relentless and ruthless Orlando Pirates machine is swaggering like a runaway truck with faulty brakes.

It is now seven league wins in succession for the Buccaneers and their coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and the question is who and how are they going to be stopped?

His notes in the club’s match-day programme, Ouaddou demanded his players to show commitment and turn possibilities into results and they responded.

Pirates have issued a powerful message about their intentions to defend the league and this win also put pressure on Mamelodi Sundowns.

Pirates improved significantly in the second half but even the most ardent Pirates supporter will agree they were not at their best from the start of the game.

But they did the job in this match exciting Soweto derby that was attended by French and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who was introduced before the start of the match.

Henry was treated to end-to-end football and there was a bonus in the form of an overzealous fan who ran onto the pitch in the closing stages as Pirates closed in on this important victory against the enemy.

Pirates could have won this match by a bigger margin, but they wasted numerous chances during their dominant spells after the break where they lacked the killer instinct that Ouaddou wanted to see and spoke about in the build-up to this 186th Soweto derby.

Pirates have completely dominated teams this season but it was always going to be difficult against Chiefs who usually rise to the occasion in the derby, even though they failed to win over the last seven meetings in the league.

The Buccaneers have momentum and their youthful players are gaining valuable experience but their depth is going to be tested in the coming months as they will be involved in the Champions league, Carling Knockout Cup, Nedbank Cup and the defence of their league title.

For Chiefs, they are unraveling and coach Fernando da Cruz will have to find a way of getting some consistency because they are falling behind AmaZulu and Milford FC.

AmaZulu and Milford FC are above Chiefs, who have a mission to at least finish third and return to the Confederation Cup, on the log.

Chiefs started the match on the ascendency but they failed to build from their good start and they allowed Pirates to score first and increased their lead after Chiefs had equalised.

Going into the match, there was interest as to how both coaches are going to set-up their teams and Abdeslam Ouaddou went with a mixture of experience and consistency and also showed trust in his emerging talent.

On the other hand, his Kaizer Chiefs counterpart Fernando da Cruz picked a team brimming with experience as he showed his intentions of winning this 186th edition of the Soweto derby clear but it was not to be.

Going into this match, Chiefs had failed to beat Pirates in their last six league matches with Pirates dominating with five wins and one draw and Da Cruz’s strong line-up showed that he wants them to stop the bleeding.

Ouaddou started with the experience of Sipho Chaine, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Deon Hotto, Thalente Mbatha, Tshepang Moremi and Yanela Mbuthuma and also rewarded the good form of emerging players like Lebone Seema, Nkosikhona Ndaba, Sipmphiwe Selepe, Simphiwe Masilela and Thapelo Mokobodi.

Ouaddou was forced improvise in his line-up by putting defender Hotto at right back because of the unavailability of Kamogelo Sebelebele and Bulelani Sigomoshe but the veteran did not offer much going forward as he had to content with Paseka Mako.

Pirates lacked proper balance and Ouaddou brought in Gamphani Lungu for Ndaba at the beginning of the second half with Hotto moving to his usual position at left back and his contributions in the match improved.

Da Cruz had injury issues of his own but he was able to field a strong line-up that had proven campaigners like Brandon Petersen, Thabo Moloisane, Ignacio Miguel Reeve Frosler, Paseka Mako Lebohang Maboe, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Pule Mmodi and exciting attackers in Mfundo Vilakazi, Mduduzi Shabalala and Wandile Duba.

Duba went with confidence sky high after he scored a hat-trick against TS Galaxy in the Carling Knockout Cup during the week but it was Vilakazi who was in inspired form giving Frosler problems in their mini battle.

The 186th derby got off to a flying start with both teams going at each other and referee Luxolo Badi was called into action after eight minutes when he cautioned Frosler as he got frustrated after he lost out to Vilakazi.

Chiefs created the most chances but Wandile Duba and Pule Mmodi could not find the target which could have given them confidence.

The first chance came inside five minutes when on-form Duba was released by Mduduzi Shabalala with a defence splitting pass but he was denied by alert Chaine.

There was a moment of controversy after 23 minutes when Badi waved play on after Mbuthuma went down in the box under pressure from a Chiefs defender.

But the Pirates striker dusted himself off and moments later he was in the Chiefs penalty box and this time there was no one who could stop him riffled the ball goal wards and it rebounded from the body of Chiefs defender Thabo Moloisane on its way into the empty net.

Chiefs did not let the goal to affect them as they continued pushing forward and they benefited from a schoolboy error from Chaine who forgot the basics of goalkeeping as he allowed the ball to spill on the path of Mmodi who pounced from close range.

Pirates pulled away in the second half when they turned the ball in the midfield and launched a quick attack that saw Mokobodi unselfishly lay in the path of Moremi who is having a good run in all competitions.

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