Arthur Zwane knows all about the triumph and disappointment the day two Soweto giants Chiefs and Pirates come face to face. For almost a decade the midfielder has in some way been involved in the match that literally brings South Africa to a stand still.

While Zwane has been in both gold and black and black and white during Chiefs vs Pirates matches, he has only really featured in the match for The Amakhosi and he shares his derby day ups and downs with kaizerchiefs.com as he takes us through the good and the not so good times that he has had down the years with Chiefs against Pirates.

Most memorable

Zwane has listed the 2001-2002 BP Top Eight semifiinal as his most memorable match against Pirates. For Arthur Saturday August 25th 2001 is one afternoon that will long remain with him as describes the occasion. “Somehow when we drove to the stadium we just had the feeling it was going to be our day, the sun was in full bloom and the fans created a really colourful vibe. We fought hard till we took the lead around ten minutes through Kenny Niemach; there after it was just wave after wave of Pirates attack we had to deal with. The celebration after the match was just unbelievable because it was around three years since Chiefs and Pirates had played in a cup match and winning the game meant a lot to the team. Obviously that victory spurred us on to eventually win the cup, as we then went on to defeat Sundowns in the final”.

Best forgotten

Amongst clashes against Pirates that Zwane would prefer best forgotten is a league game played a few months after the BP Top Eight semifinal in December 2001. It was Chiefs heaviest defeat in recent years against the Buccaneers. Zwane tells the tale of that afternoon at the FNB Stadium, “we came into the match on a high after having won a couple of trophies but we were also very tired because of all the matches we had been playing. All of that is no excuse really as Pirates held their nerve on the day and I remember of days afterwards, all I could picture was the late Lesley Manyathela scoring his two goals. He was in great form that day and was the reason they managed to win the game 3-0”.

Over and over

Zwane though would not swop any of the opportunities he has had featuring in the Soweto Derby for anything, and believes that the good memories far out weight the best forgotten ones.

In conclusion Zwane says, “to me the matches I have played against Pirates have always been memorable ones win or lose, we have had the upper hand over them in recent years. The two victories we achieved during the 2005- 2006 season were very vital in the course not just of that season but for our rivalry in general, as we managed to win those games against a lot of odds. In my opinion against one of the strongest Pirates teams that I have played against in the eight seasons that I have been a Chiefs player”.