Daily Sun (March 14 2014) - TOMORROW afternoon Mzansi will come to a standstill. More than six million soccer fans will be watching on TV and 90 000 will pack into the stadium for . . . THE BIGGEST SOCCER MATCH ON THE CONTINENT! At 3.30pm the whistle blows and the Soweto Derby, featuring arch-rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, will kick off at FNB Stadium.
According to the weatherman the sky will be clear, but if it rains in Joburg, it will probably be in the afternoon. The 90 000 sold-out crowd will be praying the sun shines and gives the players an opportunity to produce another classic.
But even if it rains it will not dampen the spirits of millions of fans around the country.
Spice is added to the derby because Bucs' new head coach, Vladimir "VV" Vermezovic, is the same man who was fired 18 months ago by Chiefs. VV made space for Stuart Baxter, who lifted the league and the Nedbank Cup double in his first season in charge of the Amakhosi.
On Wednesday Vlad, who won his first match, the original Soweto Derby against Moroka Swallows 1-0 at Dobsonville, is hoping to upset Chiefs' title hopes.
Said VV yesterday: "It could not have been a tougher start for me. I'm playing two Soweto derbys in my first two games in charge."
But he is looking forward to the derby.
"I expect pressure from the Chiefs supporters, but my present and future is with Pirates," he said.
A lot is at stake. Champions Chiefs are gunning to retain their Absa Premiership title and Bucs will try to stop them dead in their tracks and keep their title challenge alive. It all adds up to a great event for the fans.
- Philip Masimong, PSL head of security, warned that security would be tight.
"There is no private parking and we urge fans to take public transport," he said. "We plan to make this a trouble-free derby both inside and outside the stadium."
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