BIGGER GAME NEXT WEEK: the ultimate Soweto Derby verdict from Orlando Pirates boss Roger de Star

The one that got away: Kingston Nkhatha

A single SMS from Orlando Pirates boss Roger de Sa says it all about Saturday’s controversial Soweto derby: “Like before. Bigger game next week.”

With Saturday night’s African Champions League final first leg looming, Kaizer Chiefs fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Kingston Nkhatha’s off-side equaliser  – clearly scored with a little help from linesman Enoch Molefe’s unflagging support – will not be the subject of intense scrutiny for the rest of the week.

Roger and his Buccaneers have bigger fish to fry.

The final against champions and seven-time African champions Al Ahly – this Saturday in Orlando and the next Saturday in Egypt – is all that matters to the Buccaneers.

Roger is far more interested in picking out the raft of veteran Ah Ahly players who have said they will retire after the showdown, and in the news that their goalkeeper Sherif Ekrami stands accused of “faking injury” during Egypt’s lamentable 6-1 World Cup qualifying defeat against Ghana a fortnight ago.

That’s why Roger didn’t even both getting involved in the off-side debate while twitter got itself in a twist of “Enoch, Enoch. Who’s There? Kingston Nkhatha” jokes on the internet and the role referee Victor Hlungwayo played in the PSL encounter.

It’s not like refereeing controversy is new to the Soweto Derby. This year alone, we have had Major’s off-side effort in the Carling Cup final and Morgan Gould’s penalised “push” in the MTN8 semi-final.

Instead, Roger chooses to highlight the positive, saying: "Hopefully we can do our nation proud on Saturday – I’m even hoping to see a lot of yellow jerseys at Orlando, supporting us!”

Getting the message: Roger's SMS on Saturday

With Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter, incredibly, admitting: “If either side had gone for broke, they would have claimed the points,” we had Roger accepting: “We’re happy enough with a draw. It was a fair result from where I was.

"Both teams had chances. They played their game on the counter and we played our passing game, sometimes not as fluidly as usual, but we had our moments.

"It's not a bad result for us, away from home. Maybe next time we will play with fresh legs.”

And really, that’s the point. Orlando Pirates completely outplayed the double-winning South African champions for the first 25 minutes, playing good football.

But those endless flights to the heart of Africa took their toll and by the end, Pirates were happy to accept the Nkhatha injustice and settle for a point which, deceptively, leaves them bottom of the PSL, level with Golden Arrows on four points.

Of course, if they win their five games in hand, they’d go four points clear of current leaders SuperSport United and Moroka Swallows, but that’s for later.

For now, this week, this day, this moment, Roger and his over-worked squad have only one thing in mind. And it’s this: “We haven’t got that star on our shirt yet. That is our priority. That has always been our main aim.”

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New-look Chiefs in action on July 21: that could mean EIGHT new faces

Threedom: Jessica and the No3 shirt last week

KAIZER CHIEFS will roll out their newly-acquired masterpieces – and their colourful new coach – for the first time in a competitive match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on July 21 - against Moroka Swallows in an experimental one-day, four-team tournament.

The Amakhosi’s vast array of new signings – presumably including the elusive Mulomowandau “Tower” Mathoho – have been drawn to play against Moroka Swallows in the Gauteng Sports Challenge, a multi-sports event set up by the provincial department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

Chiefs today announced they are NOT chasing talented midfielder Erwin Isaacs or top scorer Eleazar Rodgers from relegated Santos but they should be able to show off Morgan Gould, Mathoho, Siboniso Gaxa, Kgotso Moleko, Brilliant Khuzwayo, Sakhile Hlongwa, Kingston Nkatha and Siyabonga Nkosi with new boss Stuart Baxter at the helm.

That means they could field as many as EIGHT new signings against Swallows if Nkatha is fit and goalkeeper Khuzwayo gets the No1 jersey ahead of Bafana’s Itumeleng Khune. Their new-look defence, featuring Gould, Mathoho and Belgium-honed Gaxa has to be among the best in the country right now.

It promises to be an eventful day at the stadium named after the legendary Masterpieces Moripe – PSL rivals SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits open proceedings at 10am before Chiefs take on Soweto rivals Swallows – also under new management following Gordon Igesund’s appointment as the new Bafana Bafana coach - at high noon. The two winners will play in the final at 5.15pm. Chiefs will face arch-rivals and champions Orlando Pirates in the Carlin Cup a week later.

Former Bafana boss Baxter, who has much to prove after controversy over his CV since his time in South Africa ten years ago, said: “I don't think there's anyone at Naturena who says we don't want to win.

"And we want very, very badly, very passionately to go on and lift the PSL title. That is something everyone associated with Kaizer Chiefs will tell you with all of their heart. No one can promise we will win the league. What we can promise is that the boys and the technical staff and supporters will give their back teeth to win the league.

"So, we will do everything that we can.  We CAN promise every drop of blood in our body and every drop of sweat we can muster will go towards winning every game.

"And I'm not telling anybody they have to wait. There's no time like the present."

With general manager Bobby Motaung still mourning the loss of brother Thabo – he was buried last Saturday – it was sister Jessica who fronted the latest Chiefs press conference once more, just as she did last week when she famously unveiled six new signings and Tower’s No3 shirt.

Since then, two of the new signings – goalkeeper Khuzwayo and midfielder Nkatha – have turned out competitively for other teams and Tower himself remains unveiled.

Jessica failed to address injury concerns over Nkatha – he went off injured during Black Leopard’s CAF Confederations Cup clash in Sudan last Saturday – and exactly why we haven’t seen Tower in his No3 shirt yet.

But the glamorous Marketing Director, flanked by her new communications manager Vina Maphosa, said: “We are very excited to be participating in the Gauteng Sports Challenge in 2012. We are also happy to be supporting Gauteng. The tournament gives us an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season.

“We are also happy to be meeting Moroka Swallows, one of the in-form teams last season. Games between the two sides have always been thrilling affairs and this upcoming one is not going to be any different.”

Speaking for the first time since his brother Thabo’s death, Bobby confirmed the Amakhosi will NOT be splashing out on Isaacs or Rodgers saying from Naturena today: "The coach wanted 28 players and he has 28 players. If we buy more players it means we must then move others.”

Treble-winning Pirates are now first in the queue for Rodgers, who scored 15 goals last season for lowly Santos.

New Swallows boss Zeca Marques, who steps up from No2 following Igesund’s call-up to national service, said: “People think a coach can just come in and wave a magic wand and “voila”, things happen. I know that is not the case.         

 “I was schooled in Portugal, so for me it’s all about creativity, flair and playing to win. That is the philosophy I will bring to the job.

“I know there will be great expectations, but the players realise that too and their ambition is the same as mine, to go out there and win trophies.

“Gordon had a very similar outlook last season and we shared ideas about how the team should play, that was brought out in the type of players we signed, guys like David Mathebula and Joseph Makhanya.

“We were always bouncing ideas between us and I had quite a bit of input. We shared the same vision and my vision for the team now has not changed much.”

Tickets for the Gauteng Challenge will go on sale at R50. 00 for adults and R20.00 for children under 12 years, from Monday at Computicket nationwide.