Soweto derby: Key players

Cape Town - It is one of the most anticipated matches in South African football as Orlando Pirates host Kaizer Chiefs for a Woza Nazo Absa Premiership clash at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The outcome of the Soweto derby could determine the Buccaneers (36 points) and Amakhosi's (35) chances of posing a real threat for the title.

Current log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns (40) are up against AmaZulu on Friday evening.

With 24 points on offer from the final eight matches, no team will want to drop any points as the season nears its climax.

Saturday's match leaves little room for mistakes and Chiefs will hope to maintain their defensive record as the best team in the league, having conceded the fewest number of goals (12) this season.

The Buccaneers meanwhile have struggled defensively with 20 goals having hit the back of the net.

Statistics show Chiefs' goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has saved 85.9% of shots on target while only conceding 0.45 goals on average per 90 minutes. 

On average, the Glamour Boys have made 16.1 successful tackles and interceptions compared to Pirates' 12.2.

"We look to create as many chances as possible so that in percentage the conversion [rate] is much better. When you repeat something several times, it becomes automatic," said Pirates head coach Milutin Sredojevic. "We have two or three goalkeepers to score against [in training to prepare for] one of the best goalkeepers in Africa, Itumeleng Khune, on Saturday. This is what we are looking at."

Over the years the derby has not lived up to expectations as the past three league meetings have ended in dreadful draws - and many predict the same outcome this weekend.

However, key players on each team could determine whether the match will have a winner when the referee blows the final whistle.

For Chiefs, Ryan Moon will play a key role in attack while they will be hoping Khune can keep a clean sheet in goal.

The Buccaneers' Luvuyo "Amigo" Memela has had a stellar season so far and Sredojevic will hope the winger will be the spark the Sea Robbers need against their oldest foes.

Kick-off is at 15:30.

See the infographic below: