Playing Conditions: Partly Cloud, rain, high humidity, temperature at kick off 23° C

Siphiwe Tshabalala passed a fitness test late on Friday afternoon and was given the all clear to start Saturday’s Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates in Durban. There was a question mark over Tshabalala’s availability for the game on Saturday after he left a national team training session early on Monday with a muscle pull and was subsequently left out of Bafana Bafana’s friendly international with Canada on Tuesday evening.

With Tshabalala keeping his place in the team it means that Chiefs go into their 132nd league meeting with their rivals from across Soweto pretty much unchanged from the team who drew with Mamelodi Sundowns just over ten days ago in a league game.

The one alteration sees the Chiefs coach taking the brave step of omitting Tinashe Nengomasha from his team, the Zimbabwean midfield general was left in Johannesburg and did not travel to the coast for Saturday’s game. With a number of his players on two yellow cards, Ertugral has decided to not risk playing Nengomasha and has given the afternoon off, and is holding onto him for next week's Telkom Cup Final against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Mabhudi Khenyeza comes up from the bench into the starting eleven to replace Nengomasha while, David Mathebula has recovered sufficiently from a metatarsal injury he picked up in a league game against SuperSport United on the 19th September. On the bench Emille Baron replaces Markus Bocsker as Itumeleng Khune’s deputy for Saturday’s clash of the titans.

Tshabalala in the ranks

Ertugral breathed a huge sigh of relief when he was given the all clear to field Tshabalala for Saturday’s game, the Chiefs coach said “the uncertainty over whether he would play or not did not really affect us, he joined us on Thursday and he went straight into the training regime and had no problems. We did the fitness test as precautionary measure, a player like Siphiwe is always an asset and having him out wide is a plus for us he is very creative and opens up the door for the strikers”. The Chiefs coach also kept it close to his chest that midfielder Mathebula would be fit to do duty some time during the game on Saturday, he explained by saying. “We were working very hard on David being ready for this game and the final, thankfully he is fit and will be able to see some time during the game”.

No go Tinashe

On the issue of leaving out Nengomasha who misses a league or cup game for the first time this season, as a result of his omission on Saturday the coach said “it is a calculated gamble on our side we needed to keep some on behind as we do have a final next week to also think about. We have the personnel to get the job done against Pirates and Tinashe needed a break and he is sitting on two yellow cards, there is an opportunity for some one else to show their worth on Saturday”.

Line Up’s:

Orlando Pirates: 01. Senzo Meyiwa, 14. Lucky Lekgwathi, 17. Lehlohonolo Seema,

38. Bongani Cashibe, 19. Innocent Mdeledle, 35. Lindokkuhle Mkhwanazi, 23. Lebohang Mokoena, 42. Bennet Chenene, 11. Teko Modise, 18. Paulus Masehe, 08. Excellent Walaza

Substitutes: 44. Francis Chansa, 12. Destin Makita, 03. Thapelo Leshabane,

06. Mngisi Gumbi, 26. Tlou Segolela, 24. Joseph Makhanya, 34. Gerald Modabi

Coach: Owen Da Gama


Goalkeeper Coach: Pierre Mbarga

Kaizer Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, 2. Jimmy Tau, 3. Onismor Bhasera, 4. Cyril Nzama,

6. Fabian McCarthy, 12. Thabo Mooki, 14. Siphiwe Tshabalala, 27. Gerald Sibeko,

18. Arthur Zwane, 17. Shaun Bartlett, 5. Mabhudi Khenyeza

Substitutes: 30. Emille Baron, 7. Kaizer Motaung Junior, 26. Thuso Phala,

29. Mokete Tsotetsi, 33. Ditheko Mototo, 24. David Mathebula, 13. David Obua

Coach: Muhsin Ertugral


Assistant Coach: Fani Madida


Goalkeeper Coach: Rainer Dinkelacker

Match Officials:

Referee: Ace Ncobo


Assistant 1: Teko Molebo


Assistant 2: Yugesh Anjit


4th Official: Yusuf Vawda


Match Commissioner: Stan Swart