Three Orlando Pirates fans made a long and costly trip to the Soweto derby

The head coach of Orlando Pirates, Abdelslam Waddu, admitted that his tactical decisions nearly led to his team's defeat in the Soweto Derby, despite the Buccaneers winning against Kaizer Chiefs with a score of 2-1.

Pirates needed a goal from Tshapanga Moremi in the second half to gain the advantage at FNB Stadium on Saturday after a difficult first half against their fierce rivals.

The Buccaneers were unexpectedly disoriented by the tactical approach of Chiefs, and many believe the home team was lucky to go into the break with a low score of 1-1.

Amakhosi had several chances to take control of the match, but their inability to convert these moments ultimately came at a high price for them.

Instead of blaming the players, Waddu took full responsibility for Pirates' difficulties in the first half, stating that his attempt to surprise Chiefs with a tactical change was unsuccessful.

He noted: 'I think we planned something in the first half, maybe some surprises, but I think I will take one. For the first time, I won't blame the players. The coach should be blamed for the first half,' he said.

He also added: 'I made a mistake. I tried to surprise the opponent with a tactical choice that turned out to be inaccurate, so I think coach Waddu put his team in trouble today. I could have cost the team the game, but thank God we went into the break with a score of 1-1.'

The Pirates coach also acknowledged that Chiefs had enough opportunities to make the derby unattainable for his team before the break.

Waddu believes that the missed chances gave Pirates the opportunity to regroup and ultimately punish their opponents after the restart.

He emphasized: 'Kaizer Chiefs had the chance to end the game in the first half. Probably the score should have been 3-1 if they had taken their chances, but unfortunately, they didn't. I always say, if you don't finish the game, you give your opponents a chance to finish it, and we finished them in the second half.'

Moremi scored the decisive goal in the 55th minute after Tapelo Mokobodi broke through Chiefs' high defensive line and set up the winger for his fifth goal of the Betway Premiership season.

This victory brings an important result for Pirates in one of South Africa's biggest football events, and Waddu's admission provided a rare insight into the tactical decisions behind this derby.

Ahead of the highly anticipated derby in Soweto, one fan has drawn public attention with her bold declaration. Miracle Ebubechi Michael, affectionately known as Mimi or Anoda Miracle, vowed to walk the entire way back to Nigeria if her favorite team, Orlando Pirates, suffers a defeat against their fierce rivals, Kaizer Chiefs.

Her statement generated significant interest among local football enthusiasts and further fueled the rivalry, which is a central element of South African football culture. Mimi gained recognition after a successful fundraising campaign that raised over 40,000 South African Rand. These funds helped organize her trip from Nigeria to Johannesburg specifically for the derby.

During an interview with SABC, Mimi shared her excitement. Affirming her unwavering belief in Pirates, she stated: 'If Kaizer Chiefs beat Pirates in the Soweto Derby, I will walk all the way back to Nigeria!' This bold statement, captured in a viral video, quickly spread across social media.

Both teams are preparing for a very competitive match following their recent victories on Tuesday evening. Kaizer Chiefs secured a convincing 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy, while Orlando Pirates showed impressive play against Milford, achieving the same result.

The anticipation for this year's derby is heightened by the fact that tickets for the match, which will be held at the FNB Stadium, sold out in just six hours, demonstrating the strong passion fans have for this confrontation. The stadium management in South Africa confirmed the huge demand for the match, forecasting the presence of over 90,000 spectators. Authorities urged fans without tickets to stay away from the venue, implementing strict measures to prevent counterfeit tickets from entering the stadium. Numerous security groups are on high alert to effectively manage the crowd, and the atmosphere at the stadium is expected to be intense.

According to the CEO of Stadium Management South Africa, Bertie Grobbelaar, all tickets for the match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs were sold within six hours, and the event will utilize a fully digital ticketing system.

Mimi noted that the love for South African football is great in her home country. She said: 'I have my brothers and sisters in Nigeria who work in South African football. My whole family knows about South African football. Even my children know how to pronounce the names of Orlando Pirates players.' She also informed SABC sports commentator Holly Zondo about issues related to the strained relations between the two countries, noting that there must be a way to resolve them.

'This is how far we are pushing it in Nigeria. Whatever happens on social media, we will push it through football. I don't know how it will happen, but we have already started,' she asserted. Upon arriving in the country, Mimi thanked the South Africans for their kind messages on social media, saying she found it hard to handle all the attention: 'This girl from the village of Nijaba is being spoiled by South Africans, but I can't handle this generosity. It's not working.'

Orlando Pirates demonstrated impressive play, starting their defense of the Carling Knockout Cup title with a 3-0 victory over Milford FC on Tuesday at the Orlando Amstel Arena stadium.

The team, which secured a spot in the final eight, decided the outcome of the match in the first half. Tapelo Mokobodi opened the scoring, followed by Tshepang Moremi who scored twice, completely taking control of the game for the Pirates.

This result also served as an ideal rehearsal for the upcoming Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday, as the Buccaneers maintained their momentum ahead of one of South Africa's biggest football events.

Mokobodi continued his impressive scoring streak, netting his second goal in two consecutive matches, allowing the home side to take the lead in the 15th minute. The 25-year-old midfielder broke through from the center of the pitch and connected with Moremi, who delivered a timely pass. Mokobodi remained calm in the penalty area and neatly slotted the ball into the lower corner of the net.

Then Moremi transformed from an assist provider into a scorer in the 34th minute, exploiting space behind the Milford defense. The winger received a pass, moved towards the goal, bypassed the goalkeeper, and scored from close range, doubling Pirates' advantage.

Since the Carling Knockout Cup features a prize of 100,000 rand for the player of the match, Moremi strengthened his chances for this award by scoring another goal in stoppage time of the first half. The forward completed his brace, making the score 3-0 before the break, marking a productive first half for the champion team and leaving Milford with a serious task.

After this, Pirates controlled the game, defending their lead, but simultaneously kept an eye on the bigger challenge awaiting them this weekend.

For coach Abdelsalam Waddu, this confident triumph was a pleasant stimulus before the derby, although the confrontation with Chiefs will present a completely different level of tension and pressure. Pirates will now focus their attention on Saturday's match, knowing that the victory over the Soweto rivals will be an even more significant statement after a strong start in the Carling Knockout Cup.

Meanwhile, for Moremi, the brace served as a timely reminder of his attacking prowess as Pirates strive to defend their cup title and continue competing in various tournaments.