Two of the biggest teams in South Africa will go head to head on Saturday afternoon when Orlando Pirates face Kaizer Chiefs in Soweto. Neither team are doing as well as they would like this season and the league title is out of reach for both but that doesn't take anything away from the importance of this fixture for both sets of supporters. Who has ruled this fixture over the past couple of seasons and who will feel like they are overdue a victory?
Contents
Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs H2H record
Between the two clubs, they boast 21 top-flight titles, making them two of the three most successful clubs in the history of South African football. As a result, the Soweto derby has always been a hotly contested match with plenty on the line. In total, they have faced each other 85 times.
- Orlando Pirates wins: 25
- Draws: 32
- Kaizer Chiefs wins: 28
While Kaizer Chiefs have a better record against Orlando Pirates on the whole, the Pirates have enjoyed phenomenal success against their old rivals in cup competitions. They are unbeaten in seven cup matches against the Chiefs so the away side will be glad that the match on Saturday is a league fixture.
Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs last five H2Hs
Kaizer Chiefs 0-1 Orlando Pirates – 11th November 2023
The most recent Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs H2H finished 1-0 to Orlando Pirates. The match was played earlier this season in the South Africa Premier Division and marked Orlando's first league away win against Kaizer Chiefs since 2015. On the day, the winning goal came from Evidence Makgopa in the 20th minute in a match that wasn't filled with chances.
Kaizer Chiefs 1-2 Orlando Pirates – 6th May 2023
Towards the end of last season, the two teams met in a huge Nebdank Cup semi-final. The match was played at the FNB Stadium in front of more than 94,000 supporters but it was Orlando Pirates who came through the match and headed to the final. The two teams couldn't be split after 90 minutes but Orlando's Sandile Mthethwa scored in extra time to send the away team through. The Pirates would go on to win the cup, beating Sekhukhune in the final.
Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 Orlando Pirates – 25th February 2023
Kaize Chiefs' most recent victory in the Soweto derby came in February 2023 in the league. It was their second consecutive 1-0 victory over their old rivals, suggesting they are better of keeping things tight against Orlando. On the day, the only goal of the game came courtesy of an Olisa Ndah own goal in the 90th minute to send the home fans into raptures.
Orlando Pirates 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs – 29th October 2022
Kaizer Chiefs enjoyed an away win over Orlando Pirates in October 2022 in a result that kickstarted their season. Despite having more of the ball, Orlando Pirates didn't do much with it and can have no complaints about Kaizer Chiefs stealing victory late on. Yusuf Maart scored for the away side in the 75th minute and they hung on for the win to earn a precious three points. Orlando would go on to finish 2nd that season while Kaizer Chiefs finished in 5th.
Orlando Pirates 1-2 Kaizer Chiefs – 5th March 2022
Orlando Pirates suffered another home defeat to Kaizer Chiefs in March 2022, albeit in front of an empty stadium as the match was played behind closed doors. Kaizer Chiefs took an early lead through Frozier before they were pegged back by the home side just after half time via Kwame Peprah. Just as the game looked destined to finish as a draw, Etic Mathoho popped up late on to win the match for the away side.
Potential MVP: Evidence Makgopa
Both teams have struggled for goals this season but the brightest spark at the top of the pitch for Orlando Pirates has been Evidence Makgopa. The 23-year-old signed for the club last season and struggled in his debut campaign but he has been much more impressive. Makgopa has five league goals to his name this season with his most memorable and most important coming against Kaizer Chiefs back in November.
Key trend
Looking at the Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs last five H2Hs, these matches aren't usually high-scoring affairs. Only one of the last five matches has seen more than two goals scored in 90 minutes and you can get odds of 10/21 on under 2.5 goals on Saturday. The most popular scoreline in recent times in the Soweto derby has been 1-0 – Kaizer Chiefs are 15/2 to win 1-0 while Orlando Pirates are 4/1 to win 1-0.
For more tips, check out our in-depth Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs prediction.
