Gaba unfazed with derby hype
Loud and clear. Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango says he is not in a cold sweat ahead of this afternoon’s Soweto derby—South Africa’s most sought-after football fixture—between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
Mhango’s Pirates host Chiefs at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in a contest that will mark the 50th anniversary of the derby and the Flames forward has been in the media spotlight as he feasts in a cocktail of rave reviews triggered by his rich vein of form.
He currently sits pretty at the summit of scorers’ chart with 14 goals—two ahead of his closest chaser Peter Shalulile of Highlands Park.
Mhango was quoted by citizen.co.za yesterday as having said that he is aware that he will be targeted by Chiefs defenders, but he is not scared of them.
“I am not scared [of Chiefs]. For us we are a team and we go out to fight for the badge, the team and the supporters.
“I cannot talk about them, but I will focus on us as a team to go out there and have fun the way we have been having [of late].
“We believe in ourselves, we are the best, we have a good team. I don’t know about the other team. But from the training ground we are happy and we want to be part of the game,” he said.
Mhango was on target in the last two Soweto derbies. He scored the second goal when Pirates lost 3-2 in a league match last November and was on the scoresheet a week earlier in a Telkom Knockout Cup tie in which Chiefs won on post-match penalties.
Chiefs lead the 16-team league with 45 points from 20 games while the Buccaneers are third with 39 points from 21 games.
Elsewhere, another Malawian Limbikani ‘Pupa’ Mzava’s Highlands Park face his former club Golden Arrows.
Tomorrow, Dennis Chembezi and Khuda Muyaba’s Polokwane City lock horns with Robert ‘Baggio’ Ng’ambi’s Black Leopards while Gerald Phiri Jnr and Richard Mbulu’s Baroka FC will be away to Bloemfontein Celtic.
