A legendary former striker, who enjoyed the rare honour of playing for both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, has shared his thoughts on the upcoming Nedbank Cup final.
Chiefs are the home team against rivals Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium in the much-anticipated sold-out Soweto Derby.
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"This time, I think it's not just about the names or the big occasion," Maponyane tells KickOff.com.
"I'm looking at Pirates, who have managed to defeat Chiefs in both the first and second rounds (of the league). Their confidence is not like it was five weeks or four weeks ago, it's as recent as last week. They are still buoyed by that victory and motivated by the fact that 'we can beat these guys'.
"If there's any team panicking and wondering, 'What do we need to do to win a trophy?', it's Kaizer Chiefs. Pirates have the psychological edge. We can't deny that Chiefs need to dig deep, while Pirates are going in as favorites, especially since they have just won against Chiefs twice.
"Additionally, Pirates are aiming for a treble in the Nedbank Cup and want to give their coach a fitting farewell. They have a lot in their favour.
"For Chiefs, there are only two significant factors: pride and the desire to win something for a change," explained ‘Go-Man-Go’.
Asked where Amakhosi typically fall short in the derby, Maponyane responded, "Everywhere. You can’t expect to reach for the stars and declare 'It's a must-win derby' after losing to Marumo Gallants.
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"You can't afford to lose to Gallants at home and still expect to win a derby. They led in two consecutive games but still managed to lose. Didn’t they learn from the first game what they needed to avoid in order to prevent the same fate?
"They were fortunate that (Glody) Lilepo scored in the fourth minute against Gallants, and then again in the second minute against Pirates. In both cases, the opponents were able to come back, equalise, and win.
"It cannot happen a third time. They can't get this close… When was the last time they were in a final? There's a lot at stake."
