CHIEFS COULD SOON BE STRONGLY REPRESENTED IN BAFANA BAFANA SQUADS
Rushwin Dortley is already the proud owner of two Bafana Bafana caps. That number will grow as Chiefs’ new central defensive signing from Cape Town Spurs has looked assured and classy at the highest level. Meanwhile, youngsters Mduduzi Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi have made goal-scoring starts to the season. Both were on target in their opening-day win over Marumo Gallants. Shabalala has started all four league games this season in the fabled number 10 role so 2024-2025 feels like the season that Mdu Shabalala becomes a key player for the club. Can he take that next step up for his country?
BLOM IS BACK IN MZANSI FOR A SEASON
Njabulo Blom has won only a single cap for his country, and that was way back in September 2021 against Ghana when he got 13 minutes as a substitute. He’s been in the international wilderness ever since, playing his club football in the United States with MLS side St. Louis City since the end of 2022. Just under three years is a long time in football. If this season-long loan spell goes well for the 24-year-old, he could force his way back into Hugo Broos’ plans now he’s closer to home for a year.
MORE ENTERTAINMENT SERVED UP BY THE GLAMOUR BOYS THESE DAYS
Chiefs are certainly more of an entertaining watch so far this season compared to 2023-2024. All four of their matches this season have featured goals at both ends, although Nabi will want his side to start picking up clean sheets. A brand-new defensive unit of Dortley, Reeve Frosler, Inacio Miguel and Bradley Cross has started all three games so far. A good acid test of their progress will be whether they can regroup and return to winning ways against SuperSport on October 26th after a controversial defeat to Sundowns.
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Orlando Pirates are cup specialists. Since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Buccaneers have claimed 13 trophies.
Orlando Pirates are undoubtedly South Africa’s new ‘Cup Kings ‘ of South African football.
The Buccaneers defeated Stellenbosch 3-1 on Saturday evening to claim their third successive MTN8 title. In the past five editions of the tournament, the Sea Robbers have claimed four MTN8 titles; three under Jose Riveiro and one under former coach Josef Zinnbauer.
ARE ORLANDO PIRATES CUP SPECIALISTS?
The Buccaneers were not always fortunate in finals over the past 20 years. In fact, they won only one domestic cup between 2000 and 2009, the BP Top 8 in 2000. In those years, Pirates played and lost many finals to the likes of Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and even Ajax Cape Town. One of their biggest defeats was in the 2000 final of the Rothmans Cup where the Sea Robbers were thrashed 4-1.
In the meantime, Pirates rivals Kaizer Chiefs were winning finals left, right and centre. Under Mushin Ertugral, Ted Dumitru and Ernst Middendorp, Amakhosi kept on winning trophies every season. At the time, Chiefs were cup specialists while Orlando Pirates were just finalists.
The Buccaneers’ curse was broken in 2010 when they lifted their first cup in 10 years. ironically the first cup they won was the MTN8 followed by the league title and Nedbank Cup to complete a historic treble under Dutch coach Ruud Krol.
The next season, Pirates secured another treble and two years later, they added another Nedbank title. After that, the Sea Robbers will go on a losing streak of five finals before finally lifting the MTN8 in 2020.
Since then, Orlando Pirates have won every cup competition that’s on offer. In their last six finals since 2020, the Soweto giants have won five, losing only the CAF Confederations Cup final.
