Posted in Features, News on Mar 21, 2021.
At FNB Stadium
Kaizer Chiefs 2
Orlando Pirates 0
Chiefs were cock-a-hoop as defending 2004/05 season league champions, as they started the new campaign.
There was one thing that rankled them, though, as they started the new season. They had been unable to record a win against Orlando Pirates home or away as they surged to the title.
As they met in October 2005 during the sides’ first league meeting in the 2005-06 season, Chiefs were determined to change that. The Amakhosi had a new coach at the helm in Ernst Middendorp, who was looking to do well in his first Soweto Derby in charge.
The build up to the game was frantic, dominated by the news that Chiefs defender Jimmy Tau had recently transferred from captaining Orlando Pirates to moving to Kaizer Chiefs.
Tau’s main focus ahead of the game was to give a wonderful account of himself against his old teammates and he did just that as he was named man of the match after a composed defensive performance for Chiefs.
Coming into the game Pirates were expecting Chiefs to be without midfielder Arthur Zwane, who had missed the previous three league games, but they were caught out when Zwane was named in the Chiefs starting line-up.
With a strong Chiefs midfield made up of Zwane, Thabo Mooki, Gert Schalkwyk and David Obua - with the reliable Tinashe Nengomasha propping up the rear - it helped Amakhosi control the midfield against a very talented Pirates team.
It was Obua who gave Chiefs the perfect start when he smashed home a volley from a Thabo Mooki corner in the fourth minute. In a tense game in front of a packed FNB Stadium Schalkwyk managed to spring the Pirates off-side trap late in the game and scored a second for Chiefs in the 85th minute to secure a 2-0 win for the Amakhosi.
A scintillating game was turned on its axis with Chiefs having done their homework well, and they were able to keep Pirates attackers Davies Mwape and Lelo Mbele quiet, while making their set pieces count to secure a major confidence-boosting result for Chiefs.
“The game was the most amazing of my life and God’s intervention period in my life. I got to realize my dream of playing for my childhood club that I supported as a kid. It was a dream come true, I was fortunate to have played for both clubs and I am forever grateful for what both clubs have done for my career. But that Derby on 29 October 2005, where I won man of the match, will forever remain in my heart,” says Tau.