subscribe Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Subscribe now
Thalente Mbatha of Orlando Pirates and Mduduzi Shabalala of Kaizer Chiefs battle it out in the Betway Premiership match at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/SYDNEY SESHIBEDI
Thalente Mbatha of Orlando Pirates and Mduduzi Shabalala of Kaizer Chiefs battle it out in the Betway Premiership match at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/SYDNEY SESHIBEDI

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has revealed he started their crunch 1-0 Premier Soccer League Soweto derby defeat against Orlando Pirates with Mduduzi Shabalala even though the young midfielder was not 100% fit. 

Shabalala, who had strapping on his left thigh, was part of a midfield that included Samkelo Zwane, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, George Matlou and Pule Mmodi, pitted against Pirates’ Makhehlene Makhaula, Thalente Mbatha and Patrick Maswanganyi.

Shabalala had a quiet afternoon and did not threaten Pirates much during the hour he was on the field before he was replaced by debutant Makabi Lilepo as Pirates reigned supreme for their fourth successive derby win in the league. 

“He is coming from an injury and he’s been our best player so far,” Nabi said through an interpreter.

“When you play in the derby, you need all your best players to be on the field. Even though he was not 100%, we felt he could give us something for 60 to 70 minutes.

“He was starting to get tired and we took him off in the second half.” 

The major talking point of the match was the late penalty awarded to Pirates by referee Masixole Bambiso after Njabulo Blom pulled Relebohile Mofokeng down in the box. 

Maswanganyi showed nerves of steel to send Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma the wrong way with a cheeky panenka penalty that moved them to within three points of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. 

“For the penalty, I was not on a good position to see and decide but my video staff confirmed it was very light. I don’t want an excuse, we lost this game and it is not good,” Nabi said. 

“We lost three points but we have another opportunity in the other derby of the season.” 

Chiefs had matched Pirates in every department in this match in which Nabi introduced Lilepo and Thabo Cele and the coach is happy with the progress as they sit in fifth spot. 

“I am happy with the progress of my team. Over the past five to six months the team has progressed with this project. Mentality has changed in the team when you compare to last season.” 

Nabi, who was featuring in his first Soweto derby, said that Amakhosi would bounce back. 

“We want the players and supporters to be positive and I promise them that Kaizer Chiefs will bounce back. We lost this game but there were a lot of good things about the team,” he said. 

Pirates coach Jose Riveiro graciously praised Chiefs for the way they engaged his team throughout the 90 minutes.

The 47-year-old Spaniard — adding a first derby win of 2024-25, and fourth in succession, to a strong campaign for his side — said Chiefs did not deserve to lose the match in front of a sold-out, 90,000 crowd and he believed a 0-0 draw would have been a deserved result for both sides.

Despite that sentiment, Riveiro felt ultimately his team was rewarded for marginally shading a derby that battled to swing into action in the first half, but livened up markedly in the second, in which Maswanganyi’s penalty six minutes into added time gave Bucs a last-gasp winner.

“I think the result is fair and it’s a reflection of both performances.”

There is no time to sit back and dwell on this defeat for Amakhosi as they host AmaZulu at FNB Stadium on Tuesday and then travel to Stellenbosch on Friday for their match at Athlone Stadium.

subscribe Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.