Former Orlando Pirates striker Jerry Sikhosana has cited the 1996 BobSave SuperBowl semi-final against Kaizer Chiefs as his most memorable Soweto Derby match, saying his performance in that game was one of the best in his career.
Sikhosana scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 drubbing of their arch rivals a year after scoring the goal that gave Pirates their first Champions League star.
The game was some 29 years ago when Sikhosana was 27 years old. He went down memory lane with iDiski Times senior writer Matshelane Mamabolo in edition 202 of the newspaper where touched on the importance of the game as the Buccaneers were coming off a defeat days earlier and Chiefs a big win.
“Even today, that’s 29 years ago, and people are still talking about that hat- trick,” Sikhosana told iDiski Times.
“It gives me great pleasure because it shows it is one of the biggest things I’ve done in my career. We were under immense pressure because we had lost 3-0 to Real Rovers and they went on to lose 5-0 to Chiefs on the Wednesday before the derby.
“Yes, we won against Michau Warriors midweek but going into the match, everyone was thinking we were beaten by Rovers but the general feeling was Chiefs would smash us.
“I had scored two against Warriors and I felt I should try to score against Chiefs. On match day, the Chiefs supporters were mocking us when we were driving to the stadium, saying their club is going to smash us eight.
“I thought the first goal was not mine, and I did not celebrate it because I thought Joseph Ngake had got it in with his chest but they officially gave it to me. That goal that I will always remember was the second goal when I came in from the side and beat Ntsie Maphike and then went outside, leaving Neil Tovey, everyone even Brian [Baloyi] thought I would cross, but I had the guts to shoot and I scored.
“That’s the goal that will always stay in my memory because I don’t think anyone would score a goal like that one. I will always remember it, one of the best goals for me.
“The third goal was also difficult because Helman [Mkhalele] cut in and I was going away and turned to hit it with my life, but my mobility helped me.
“The first one was a corner kick, and I drifted away from the box to meet the ball and hit it. The second goal, when Dumi [Ngobe] moved from the side to drift in and out again. Most of the goals I scored all came from my runs, and that’s how I’ve always played.”
You can read Mamabolo’s feature on iconic Soweto derbies in edition 202 when you subscribe to iDiski Times Media WhatsApp number for FREE.
