Kaizer Chiefs legend William Shongwe is clinging to hope — and perhaps a miracle — as his former team prepares to take on arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final this coming Saturday.
The Glamour Boys are still reeling from a painful 2-1 Soweto Derby defeat in the league over the weekend, which handed bragging rights and momentum to the Buccaneers. Pirates, already MTN8 champions this season and the current holders of the Nedbank Cup, will be aiming for a treble of victories over Chiefs — and they look well-equipped to do so.
But despite the odds stacked heavily against Amakhosi, Shongwe isn’t giving up. Speaking to Independent Media, the former goalkeeper said he’s praying for a miracle of “biblical proportions” to help Chiefs lift their first trophy in over a decade.
“Derbies are unpredictable,” said the 63-year-old icon. “You can go in as the underdog and rise to the occasion. I’m just hoping for divine intervention — we need help from the heavens.”
Chiefs haven’t won the Nedbank Cup since 2013, and their current league form offers little encouragement. They’re sitting ninth on the table, tied on points with eighth-placed Chippa United, who still have a game in hand. With just two league fixtures left, even securing a Top 8 finish is now in serious doubt.
“This has been another season to forget,” Shongwe said. “To lose the derby is painful, but to potentially miss out on a Top 8 finish adds salt to the wound.”
Shongwe was also critical of the defensive lapses that led to Pirates’ opening goal on Saturday. He questioned whether it was a tactical issue from coach Nasreddine Nabi or a failure by the players to execute basic responsibilities.
“There was no one marking either the crosser or the scorer,” he said. “At this level, you expect certain things to be automatic.”
He also defended goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, who has come under fire for conceding more goals than he has kept clean sheets.
“Yes, he’s let in goals, but often it’s not just on him. Once an attacker is through on goal, there’s only so much the keeper can do. People forget that.”
As Kaizer Chiefs prepare for what may be their last shot at silverware this season, fans and legends alike are hoping that, just maybe, football’s unpredictable magic will swing their way one last time.
