Luckily the modern day PSL belongs in my generation and I remember most of what has happened in this era as I was already a teenager when the authorities ditched the old NSL which ran on a full calendar year in favour of a more organised league that would run from August to May with effect from 1996.
For the sake of entertainment I would really love to say the 1997 Iwisa Spectacular which needed a record 30 penalties to eventually produce a winner remains close to my heart, more like that first love that can never forget regardless of how you try. Pirates ultimately won 10-9 on the lottery of a shootout which left many fans at the old FNB Stadium just as thrilled as they were frustrated, emotionally aroused and abused by the pleasure and torture that this shoot-out gave them. It was sudden death from the 11th penalty spot with a couple being retaken along the way for various reasons, the delirium on both benches and in the stands was extreme.
I remember having an emotionally charged argument with a boyhood friend that I watching the game with about what was going to happen when all the players from both teams had taken spot-kicks including the two goalkeepers on either side. He suggested that they would allow the substitutes to also come in and take a penalty as each man had to take one spot-kick but I told him that was impossible. I wasn’t really too sure myself as I had never witnessed such at the time. A fresh second round had to start with all available players on either side eligible to take a kick again and by the time a winner could be found each had taken 15 penalties. However, since that wasn’t an official match it would be unfair to rank it up as the best!
I am then tempted to say the recent 3-2 win for Pirates when Benni McCarthy scored a brace with The Bucs already three nil up within 24 minutes – well before some fans could even find their seats.
Perhaps Chiefs’ exciting 3-1 triumph in that famous 1998-99 season Rothmans Cup semi-final first leg which set Chiefs on their way to eventually lifting that trophy after another humdinger against Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.
See, the thing with me is that I love goals which is why I am even thinking about the 2-2 draw that these two clubs played in Durban in 2007 just like the other 2-all stalemate that they played out in June, 2000.
However, I am settling for that 1996 BOB Save Super Bowl semi-final which had Jerry Sikhosana scoring that memorable hat-trick with Helman Mkhalele adding the fourth as Pirates ran out 4-1 winners. Substitute David Modise scored the consolation for Chiefs on that November 2, 1996 Saturday afternoon that now holds such significance in South Africa’s biggest football fixture.
That was the first ever official meeting between the two clubs in the modern day PSL era with the fixture making an explosive entrance onto the calendar.
What makes this match hold a special place in my heart is that 52 official derby matches (cup and league) later no-one has managed to match what Legs of Thunder did that day – score a hat-trick.
Prior to that first ever Soweto derby meeting Pirates had beaten Michau Warriors 3-0 in a mid-week league tie with Sikhosana scoring a brace in that game while Chiefs had massacred a hopeless Real Rovers 5-0 and so the stage was set for what South Africa had been waiting for.
The Bucs arrived in a mean mood with Josep Ngake and Mkhalele having a field day on the wings with both playing a role in the first two goals that Sikhosana scored with Viktor Bondarenko enjoying the action from the touchline.
The centre-back pairing of Neil Tovey and Cleopas Dlodlo was harassed at will with Sikhosana adding the third before Modise pulled one for Chiefs.
By the time ‘Midnight Express’ added the fourth following a splendid solo run most Chiefs fans were already on their way home shocked at how their team had been massacred with such ease.
Brian Baloyi still has nightmares about that game.
The icing on the cake for Pirates was that they went on to win the BOB Save that beating Jomo Cosmos 1-0 in the final courtesy of Andries ‘Local is Lekker’ Sebola’s late strike.
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