By Micheal Madyara
The 180th Soweto Derby was a stage on which players who’d been written off showed up when it mattered the most.
After enduring sharp criticism for being wasteful week in and week out, Kaizer Chiefs wideman Ashley du Preez responded with a brace against Orlando Pirates on Saturday.
Although Amakhosi went on to lose that match 3-2, Du Preez walked away as a winner individually with what was his first-ever double in Chiefs colours.
The two strikes eased pressure on him – he had entered the derby with just three goals in 17 games across all competitions this season.
His Orlando Pirates counterpart Monnapule Saleng was also in the same space, having had a difficult season, and had lost his place as a regular starter.
But he silenced his critics with a derby brace, having gone into this traditional fixture with just two goals in 18 outings in all competitions.
“Saleng didn’t have the best first half of the season for multiple reasons we cannot discuss in this space,” Pirates coach Jose Riveiro told the media after the Soweto Derby.
“I think he did a very good job in the second pre-season we had in the Afcon break, in the training matches.
“He came in to play Sundowns in Pretoria and did not do a bad job. We couldn’t have continuity with him for something simple like the flu that separated him from the team when we travelled to Polokwane.”
This is a player who was Pirates’ top goal-scorer last season but has been struggling to reproduce last term’s form, but Riveiro is not ruling him out.
“He is not a forgotten player, that’s for sure, you saw him today,” said Riveiro.
“He needs our support to be again the Saleng we saw last season, and he is taking the right steps.”
It remains to be seen if the two forwards will build up on their Soweto Derby exploits in upcoming games.
Pictured above: Kaizer Chiefs forward Ashley du Preez celebrating his goal against Orlando Pirates
Image source: Kaizer Chiefs
