Slow death of Soweto Derby still massive, but 'DStv cannot replicate the crowd!' - Tinkler

The looming DStv Premiership Soweto Derby will be played at an empty Orlando Stadium on Saturday, as fans' absence from games reaches the two-year mark due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The derby is the grandest and most-watched match on the schedule, with two guaranteed fixtures between fierce rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. 

The stadium is often sold out in minutes; however, due to ongoing Covid-19 regulations, this weekend's derby will be played at a stadium with no roaring supporters.

It is expected that a mass protest will take place outside the famous ground, as fans come together aggrieving the matter that will reach the two-year mark in March. 

In November, the first-round encounter between the Buccaneers and Amakhosi took place, with Keagan Dolly stealing the headlines.

His two goals clinched a 2-1 victory for the Glamour Boys at FNB Stadium. 

The pain of it all is that fans had to watch that match on DStv's sport channel, SuperSport, and the same will occur when the two South African giants kick off at 15:30 on Saturday.

Eric Tinkler, who coached the Buccaneers between 2013 and 2016, says the Soweto Derby remains the most prominent fixture on the South African domestic calendar.

However, with the fans not allowed in, the fixture is slowly losing its strength, and the current Cape Town City boss has called for supporters to be allowed back to watch live matches.

"When you got a full stadium, yes," said a laughing Tinkler after being probed into answering a question about the stature of the Soweto Derby.

"I think by now, we should have been opening the stadiums a little bit more than we have.

"What has always made the Soweto Derby special was that you have 89 000 made Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs fans, and