William Shongwe is hoping the football gods will smile at Kaizer Chiefs when they face Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday.
Chiefs and Pirates met in the Betway Premiership Soweto Derby on Saturday, with the latter bagging all three points and the bragging rights. While form counts for nothing in the derby, Pirates will head to Durban on a high for the Cup clash, believing they can complete a treble against their arch-rivals this season.
Pirates have also mastered the art of winning finals, as they are the defending champions of the Nedbank Cup after winning it back-to-back. Earlier this season, the also won the MTN8 title.
So, with Pirates backed by all these factors, Shongwe insists that his beloved Chiefs stand no chance of winning on paper, and ending their 10-year barren streak. And that’s why the legendary Chiefs goalkeeper, speaking exclusively to Independent Media on Sunday after the Amakhosi’s 2-1 loss a day earlier, revealed he’s praying to heaven in the hope it will intervene.
“Derbies are very difficult games to predict. You go into the derby as an underdog and you suddenly rise on the day,”Shongwe explained.
“I am hoping for a miracle to happen. People have left miracles to the biblical times. So, I am hoping for a miracle with biblical portions. We need all the divine intervention.”
Thank you for your support Makhosi Amahle. The atmosphere was amazing, unfortunately it was not the result we wanted.
We will see you in Durban soon ❤️✌🏼#Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/D8TOO1RJWM
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) May 3, 2025
Chiefs truly need all the help they can get to win the Nedbank Cup for the first time since 2013, as that’ll will give their season some much-needed meaning. Amakhosi are ninth on the log with 30 points, level with the eighth-place Chippa United, who have a game in hand.
Hence, Shongwe believes it’ll be hard for them to finish in the Top 8.
“That’s a tough one, and a lot has been said. Losing in the derby is one thing, but being sent out of the Top 8 is another,” said Shongwe, when he analysed the league derby.
“It’s like a blow after another, and unfortunately with only two games remaining in the league that makes it harder for Chiefs to finish in the Top 8. It’s another season that we need to try and forget very quickly. So, the derby is the hardest event to discuss.”
Shongwe believes it was hard to discuss the derby because Chiefs weren’t entirely played off the park, instead they were let down by individual mistakes.
The 63-year-old was notably upset by Chiefs’ bogus defending in the first goal as he says there was no one to pick up either provider Mohau Nkota or goal scorer Evidence Makgopa.
“I don’t know if it’s the coach (Nasreddine Nabi) or the players themselves (who were responsible for the first goal),” Shongwe explained.
“The coach can only say so much, but if the players are not prepared enough on the day of the day, these kinds of things can happen. I can blame the coach, but there are standards if you play at this level. So, situations should be automatic.”
Makgopa comes close to doubling Orlando Pirates’ lead 👀
Bvuma calming his defence 👇
📺 Stream #BetwayPrem on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/CcshHyHeZx
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) May 3, 2025
Shongwe has also cried foul about the fact that the blame will be put on goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, who’s conceded more goals than he’s kept clean sheets.
“Throughout the season, Chiefs have conceded goals that they shouldn’t have conceded,” Shongwe said.
“I know the pressure will go to Bvuma ,whereas a lot of people have no clue of what the goalkeeping situation entails. He had to take the responsibility for everything that has gone past him.
“But once the player is through, how much can he do as a goalkeeper?
“He can only do so much,” Shongwe concluded.
