Likewise, Kaizer Chiefs fans who witnessed Jerry Sikhosana’s hat-trick past Brian Baloyi in the 1996 BobSave SuperBowl semi-final were not to know that their rivals recent dominance was coming to an end, and Amakhosi would soon be the nation’s ‘Cup Kings’ once again.
The point is, the result of a Soweto Derby (particularly in a knockout match) means everything at the the time … but maybe not so much in the long run. Losing fans should know that time heals all wounds; winning fans should enjoy their victory, because glory is sometimes fleeting.
When Chiefs and Pirates fight it out for a place in this season’s Telkom Knockout Final at FNB Stadium today (7 November, 15h00), the rivals will be clashing for the eighth time in a cup competition since South Africa hosted the World Cup. It will be their 14th cup meeting in the PSL era.
Haviing witnessed Pirates tear their team apart in the Absa Premiership last weekend, Chiefs fans will be just that little bit more desperate for victory today, and that much more inconsolable should the Buccaneers win again.
They will take heart, perhaps, in the fact that Chiefs have won South Africa’s League Cup (in its many guises) a record 13 times, but they should note that they last won the competition in 2010, the day Amakhosi put Pirates to the sword.
CUP MEETINGS IN PAST 20 YEARS
Chiefs 1 (Modise) Pirates 4 (Sikhosana 3, Mkhalele)
Chiefs 0 Pirates 1 (Pam)
Chiefs 3 (Ndlanya 2, Batchelor) Pirates 1 (Ngake)
Pirates 1 (Zuma) Chiefs 0
Chiefs 1 (Niemach) Pirates 0
Pirates 1 (Chansa) Chiefs 1 (Musona)
Chiefs 0 Pirates 1 (Mashego)
Chiefs 3 (Ngcobo 2, Tshabalala) Pirates 0
Pirates 1 (Manyisa) Chiefs 0
Chiefs 0 Pirates 1 (Klate)
Pirates 1 (Bacela pen) Chiefs 1 (Parker)
Chiefs 1 (Mashamaite) Pirates 0