Share

Matlaba wants to win the Soweto derby for the fans

Cape Town - Orlando Pirates captain Thabo Matlaba wants to repay the Buccaneers fans with a derby win over Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs.

South Africa's two biggest clubs meet in an eagerly awaited Premiership encounter at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Buccaneers battled last season in the league and only managed an 11th placed finish. But they head into Saturday's showdown looking a team with renewed confidence after the arrival of head coach Milutin Sredojevic.

After a bright start to the season the Sea Robbers lie in third position on the standings, one point above Chiefs.

Matlaba points out that form will count for little on the day, adding that he wants the Bucs faithful, also referred to as the 'Happy People', to leave the stadium smiling.

"With Derbies there are no favourites. There's a tendency of people coming to the Derby on the back of not doing well and they pull a surprise. We just have to focus on the match on Saturday.

"Both teams have started well. I think that this game is going to be a very entertaining game with goals. I am sure about that because of the positive start that both teams have had.

"The fans will be entertained and I am certain that there will be goals.

"This is the Soweto Derby. We must get a win for the fans. Our fans are known as the Happy People, they must be always happy.

"We must repay them for the support they have given us, because as we all know we didn't do well last season."

Kick off is at 15:00.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE