Watch VideoFormer Kazier Chiefs defender Morgan Gould advices Amakhosi to ‘play the game, not the occasion’ against Orlando Pirates

Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Morgan Gould has urged Amakhosi to focus on the performance rather than the hype ahead of the Soweto derby. FormerKaizer Chiefsdefender Morgan Gould has urged his former side to ignore the hype surrounding theSoweto derbyand focus purely on the task at hand when they face Orlando Pirates in theBetway Premiershipat FNB Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off). With both sides firmly in the league title conversation, this latest edition of the Soweto derby carries added significance beyond local bragging rights.

Pirates currently hold an eight-point advantage over Amakhosi, although Chiefs have two games in hand — a factor that could yet prove decisive in the race for top honours. The clash presents Chiefs with a valuable opportunity to reduce that gap and reassert themselves as genuine contenders. With a return fixture against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns still to come later in the campaign, Amakhosi know that victories in these high-profile encounters could keep their destiny closer to their full control.

However, they head into the derby on the back of a disappointing midweek defeat to Stellenbosch FC (2-1) — a result that halted their momentum at a crucial stage of the season. They will also be mindful of Pirates’ dominance in this fixture in recent years, with Chiefs’ last league victory over their rivals coming in February 2023. Despite the magnitude of the occasion and the recent history between the two clubs, Gould believes Chiefs must approach the game with composure and clarity rather than emotion.

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“We overhype the whole situation. You need to look at them as a normal team. Yes, the occasion is big, but they are just a normal team,” Gould said in an interview onSupersport.

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