DERBY LEGENDS: Names who stirred the Soweto rivalry

Many of the great names of South African football have graduated through the Soweto derby since the first clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates more than 55 years ago now.

It has been a forum for many to show their skills and enthral the fans, becoming household names through their derby day feats.

With such passion flowing through the fixture, there are always going to be subjective opinions about the heroes.

But there is no doubt that the fixture has forged many legends.

But who is the best? A question that has been provoking discussion and debate for decades.

ACE OR SONO? 

The statistics all point to Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, who played for almost 15 years in derby matches and whose 19 goals for Chiefs against Pirates is a tally likely never to be overtaken.

Or is it Jomo Sono? The ‘Black Prince’ was arguably the greatest to wear the skull and crossbones of the Sea Robbers.

He did not even manage half the number of goals in the derby that Ntsoelengoe did but was much more of a dynamic presence.

Ntsoelengoe, who scored the first ever derby goal for Chiefs on 24 January, 1970 as they beat Pirates 4-2 in Rogue Beer Cup third place playoff at Orlando stadium, was surrounded by many greats throughout his time at Chiefs while often it was Sono who carried the Buccaneers on his back, particularly through a time of some tumult within the club.

Sono was still a schoolboy at Orlando High when he debuted for Pirates, following in the footsteps of his legendary father Eric ‘Scara’ Sono.

He made a big impression in his first derby game in October 1972 and a month later scored the first of nine derby goals against Chiefs.

Like his great rival Ntsoelengoe, Sono traveled for many years across the Atlantic to play in the North American Soccer League and resultantly had his time with Pirates cut short.

He later left the club to buy his own team. By his own admission, whenever he came up against Chiefs, it was a game that motivated him to play at his top level.

Sono’s skills to day still remain a talking point among soccer aficionados.

'TEENAGE' AND MOTAUNG

Other players have their personal history written into the derby, like Nelson “Teenage” Dladla.

His debut in the 1976 league match played at KwaThema that was an emotive meeting just weeks after the death of Ewert ‘The Lip’ Nene, the long-time Chiefs manager, had been killed by thugs when he went to the Springs township to sign Dladla.

“Teenage” paid tribute to the memory of Nene with the ‘man of the match’ performance and set up one of the two goals in the 2-0 win.

As if inspired by the memory of Nene, Chiefs dominated throughout the game, so much so that goalkeeper Joseph ‘Banks’ Setlhodi only made two saves throughout the 90 minutes.

Kaizer Motaung, of course, is at the heart of the whole rivalry, leading the breakaway from Pirates that created Chiefs.

He also crisscrossed the Atlantic, playing in the USA and back home.

But he missed the launch of the new National Professional Soccer League in South Africa in 1971 but just before he left helped his new club to win the Champion of Champions tournament at the Orlando stadium, which served as a curtain-raiser for the new professional league.

Motaung scored as Chiefs beat Pirates 3-2 in the final.