DStv Premiership Derbies light up the month of March

March is Derby month in the DStv Premiership with several key matchups between bitter rivals that could shape the second half of the season. It is not just local bragging rights on offer, but also key league points at both ends of the table.

KAIZER CHIEFS VS MOROKA SWALLOWS

March 2, 17h30 – FNB Stadium

A Soweto Derby that is neither the ‘original’ nor the classified as the ‘big one’, but still a game between local rivals that carries huge significance.

The last three meetings have been won by the away side, with no home success since Swallows claimed a 1-0 victory in 2020 while, quite remarkably, Chiefs have not registered a home win against The Birds since 2012.

That is a rare anomaly and makes Swallows the side they have battled against the most on their home patch in the last 12 or so years.

Overall the record is quite heavily weighted in the favour of Chiefs since the formation of the National Soccer League in 1985. They have 51 wins to only 14 for Swallows, with 24 draws. Chiefs won 1-0 away in the reverse fixture in November as Christian Saile scored a late winner.

It is also a battle between two sides who had a contrasting January transfer window. There was no movement in or out at Chiefs as interim coach Cavin Johnson had a settled squad of players to work with, but it has been all change at Swallows with mass departures of players and the exit of coach Steve Komphela, who also used to lead the AmaKhosi.

CAPE TOWN CITY VS STELLENBOSCH FC

March 5, 19h30 – Cape Town Stadium

A clash between two sides in the current top four and direct rivals for a CAF Champions League place next season.

With Cape Town City leading Stellenbosch by three points, this fixture has huge significance as it could either close that gap to nothing or put them six points clear.

This is not a local derby as such, some 60 kilometres and an hour’s drive separate the Cape Town Stadium and Stellenbosch, but they have built up a keen provincial rivalry that has been, perhaps surprisingly, heavily weighted towards the Winelands club.

They have met on nine previous occasions, with Stellenbosch winning six of those (D1 L2), including four of the last five clashes (D1). The last City win came back in 2020, and their only home victory was the year before that in August 2019.

Both coaches are known for their tactical acumen and were briefly teammates at Wits University in their playing days in the early 1990s, with Stellies tactician Steve Barker and his City counterpart Eric Tinkler also firm friends. There will be no love lost in this one though.

ORLANDO PIRATES VS KAIZER CHIEFS

March 9, 15h30 – FNB Stadium

A battle for the ages and the bragging rights on not just the streets of Soweto, but all around the country where these teams enjoy huge support, is at stake in the 180th meetings of these two local giants.

It is a fixture steeped in history and entrenched in South African football folklore, but both sides will be desperate for three points to aid their present ambitions, which is to secure CAF Champions League football for next season.

Pirates currently lead Chiefs by a point with both having won a disappointing seven games from 17 in the league this season, and so victory here would be a massive boost for several reasons, not least for Johnson who is trying to persuade AmaKhosi fans he is the man to lead the team on a permanent basis.

Pirates have won the last two clashes, including a 1-0 success in November when Evidence Makgopa got the only goal, but overall Chiefs lead the head-to-head with 74 wins to The Buccaneers’ 46. There have been 54 draws and five games abandoned.

STELLENBOSCH VS CAPE TOWN SPURS

March 9, 17h30 – Danie Craven Stadium

Perhaps less of a rivalry than the one between Stellenbosch and Cape Town City, this fixture is still a provincial battle that could have a huge bearing on the remainder of the season for both sides.

Stellenbosch’s ambitions are well known, but for Cape Town Spurs it is all about survival and nothing more. They remain six points adrift at the foot of the table, but a recent 3-1 win over AmaZulu has provided hope.

Coach Ernst Middendorp made extensive changes to the squad in the January transfer window, including the promotion of several exciting young players from the team’s development ranks, and the wily German will have a plan for his side.

Stellies were handsome 3-0 away winners in the reverse fixture earlier this season and claimed a 2-1 home success when these sides met in the Motsepe Foundation Championship in the 2018/19 season.

Iqraam Rayners got a brace that day and will hope for a repeat performance. Jarrod Moroole was in the Stellenbosch on that occasion, but could line up this time round for Spurs.

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS VS SUPERSPORT UNITED

March 30, 20h00 – Loftus Stadium

Mamelodi Sundowns have dominated this fixture of late with SuperSport United’s last away win in 2019, but it has not always been the case that The Brazilians have been top dogs.

Sundowns have won four of the last five meetings, but SuperSport’s 2-1 home victory in September 2022 was the last time coach Rulani Mokwena’s team lost a league match.

They have gone 39 (W30 D9) games without defeat since then – in effect more than a DStv Premiership season – but have yet to have an ‘Invincibles’ campaign with no losses. Could this be the year they make history?

The added layer of intrigue in this fixture is that there are no less than seven former SuperSport players in the Sundowns squad, including Matsatsantsa’s record-holder for appearances, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. SuperSport, meanwhile, have four former Sundowns players.

SuperSport have had a rejuvenation under coach Gavin Hunt and are battling hard for CAF Champions League football next season, though they only trail DStv Premiership leaders Sundowns by nine points, albeit that the latter have two games in hand.

Source: Supersport