The two Soweto giants have met in 12 cup finals stretching as far back as 1971 with Chiefs winning eight while Pirates have won just four of those cup finals.
However, Pirates are yet to lose a cup game against Chiefs in the last five MTN8 games that the ‘Big Two’ have contested with The Bucs winning three on 1-0 score-lines while the other two finished as draws.
Though The Bucs won the last cup final meeting against their biggest rivals in the 2011 edition of the MTN8 they have had to contend with going up the podium first to receive runners-up medals on more occasions since their first final 43 years ago.
AmaKhosi triumphed 2-1 in the first ever cup final meeting with The Buccaneers – in the 1971 Life Challenge Cup, the national cup which is now known as the Nedbank Cup – that final had to be settled after a replay following a 2-2 stalemate after extra-time in the original final.
In the replayed match played on December 18, 1971 at Orlando Stadium Petros Nzimande and Michael Dlamini were on target for Chiefs while Alfred Chamane scored for Pirates.
The following year (1972) Pirates got their revenge when they won 3-2 in the BP Top Eight while Chiefs then won the same cup two years later in a thrilling two-legged final which finished 6-2 on aggregate.
Pirates were back as winners in ’75 when they downed their rivals 2-1 after extra-time in the Life Challenge Cup but Ezikamagebhula then had to endure the agony of being second best in the next four cup finals contested by the two clubs between 1976-84 – all of which were in the same competition, the national cup named the Benson and Hedges Trophy between 76-77 before it became the Mainstay Cup from then on until 1987.
Chiefs won by similar 1-0 margins in ‘76 and ‘77 before they came out 3-1 victors in ’81 after a replay and they also won 1-0 in the 1984 final.
Pirates finally remembered how to beat their rivals in a cup final in the 1988 BOB Save Super Bowl Final at Ellis Park which they won 2-1 courtesy of goals by Basil ‘Kaapse Dans’ Steenkamp and Lawrence Maake after a replay as the original final had finished goalless after extra-time. Mike Mangena scored for Chiefs that day.
Back then if the two finalists couldn’t be separated after extra-time a replay had to be played a few days later.
Then in more recent times Chiefs were back to being the boss snatching the 2006 ABSA Cup 5-3 on penalties after both teams failed to score in two hours of play at ABSA Stadium in Durban.
AmaKhosi hurt their rivals yet again in the 2010 Telkom Knockout Final scoring three without reply at FNB Stadium with S’thembiso Ngcobo emerging the hero after smashing a brace.
Then on the last occasion that the two Soweto giants were to then meet in a cup final it was in the 2011 MTN8 Final with Oupa Manyisa’s pile drive leaving Itumeleng Khune bemused as The Bucs ran out champions at FNB Stadium after extra-time.
The upcoming Derby will be the 13th cup final that the ‘Big Two’ have contested in official cup competitions.
In other knockout games that were not finals in which the two teams met since the start of the modern day PSL in 1996, The Bucs have won four with their arch-rivals winning three.
Pirates were 4-1 winners in the 1996/97 BOB Save Super Bowl semi-final and were winners again in the second round of the same competition the following season on a 1-0 score-line.
Then in the 1998/99 Rothmans Cup - Chiefs were 3-2 aggregate winners in an exciting two-legged semi-final and also won 1-0 in the semi-finals of the 2001 BP Top 8.
Chiefs also won the 2009-10 Telkom Knockout semi-final on penalties but they have since lost the last two MTN8 semi-finals against their number one enemies.
Both semi-finals (2010-11 and 2013-14) were played over two legs with The Bucs winning 2-1 on aggregate on both occasions.
NOTE:
The two teams also met in the final of the now defunct Champion of Champions on eight occasions between 1972-91 with Chiefs winning six of those finals.
Champion of Champions meetings – sponsored by either Sales House or Castle - between the Soweto giants were played out in ’72, ’75, ’76, ’77, ’81, ’82, ’83 and ’91.