Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has explained that his side need to forget “all the noise” around local football’s biggest game, if they want to beat Kaizer Chiefs.
The Buccaneers host Amakhosi in the 180th Soweto Derby, and could complete the double over their rivals after winning the reverse fixture 1-0.
A lot has been said ahead of the most-talked about game of the local football calendar, and Saturday’s derby has an extra incentice, as the winners will move into second place on the log.
Ncikazi believes Pirates have prepared well and is confident that his side can collect the three points.
“It’s a unique fixture, it’s a unique match, where log position, form, where no logic of the previous matches will be no prediction,” he told Bucs media.
“It’s just the team preparation, it’s just the team motivation and the execution that will take us through.
“Based on the preparation that I’ve seen, I’m very optimistic that our team will have three points in this fixture.
“It becomes the responsobility of the technical team to show the players the right reality – they must play the match and all the noise that happens around it.
“I thought our team is well-focussed for such an encounter.”