When Chiefs face their old foes, Orlando Pirates, in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon, they will be looking to dethrone their Soweto rivals, who have won the last two editions of the competition. It is not new territory for Chiefs and Pirates to meet where one of the sides is the defending champion; it has happened 10 times since 1972.

What is unique is that Chiefs have previous experience of denying the Buccaneers a successful defence of the Nedbank Cup at the final stage. This has happened twice previously, with Chiefs aiming for a unique hat-trick come Saturday.

When Pirates had won three titles in succession in 1973, 1974 and 1975 (including defeating Chiefs 2-1 in the latter final), they were halted in their tracks by Amakhosi’s 1-0 win the 1976 final in Umlazi. Chiefs’ only goal in that game came courtesy of Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, Chiefs would then go onto defend their title the following season in 1977 again defeating Pirates in the final with another 1-0 win, this time at Orlando Stadium.

Chiefs’ loss to Pirates in the 1975 final remains the only time they have lost a final to Pirates in which the Buccaneers were defending champions.

On the most recent occasion the sides clashed the Nedbank Cup final when Pirates were the defending champions, in 1981, Chiefs dethroned Pirates again, winning 3-1 in a replayed final after the first game ended 1-1. Both games were played at Orlando Stadium. Jan ‘Malombo’ Lechaba, Ntsoelengoe and Leonard Likoebe scored for Chiefs; Jomo Sono was Pirates’ lone scorer.

With another final on the horizon between Chiefs and Pirates this weekend, Amakhosi will be looking to replace Pirates as Nedbank Cup champions for a third time, and the first of the PSL era.