PIC: Sinoxolo Kwayiba in action for Chippa United against FC Ravens in the 2024 Nedbank Cup Last 16

The Nedbank Cup semifinal between Chippa United and Orlando Pirates on Saturday will provide plenty of ‘battles within a battle’ with key flashpoints across the pitch.
It is a time for the big players on either side to step up and show their quality and experience. We pick three key clashes that could be pivotal on the day. 

JUSTICE CHABALALA VS TSHEGOFATSO MABASA
Two old campaigners in the Premier Soccer League, Chabalala is a former Buccaneers centre-back now in the colours of Chippa, while Mabasa has hit a rich vein of scoring form. Keeping him quiet will be key for the home side, as it is not just his goals that are crucial, but also the way he holds up the ball and brings others into play. Chabalala certainly has the experience to do the job and will know his opponent as both were briefly at Pirates together. They also both previously played for Sekhukhune United and Bloemfontein Celtic, though not together.   

GOODMAN MOSELE VS MAKHEHLENE MAKHAULA
Mosele is on loan at Chippa from Pirates but it appears there is nothing in his contract which says he cannot feature against his former club having done so in the league earlier this campaign. Mosele is having a fibe season in the Eastern Cape, so much so that he earned a recall to the Bafana Bafana squad in March. Makhaula is a wily old campaigner having a recent rebirth at Pirates after featuring little in the first half of the season. Both are tough an uncompromising and it is likely to be a key battle in the middle of the park. 

SINOXOLO KWAYIBA VS TAPELO XOKI
Kwayiba has hit a rich vein of form for Chippa with four goals in his last five games and will be a key source of goals for the home side. He joined the club from Pretoria Callies, where he had a superb season in 2022/23 and has carried that form into this campaign. But he will be up against Xoki, who has enjoyed a superb campaign with The Buccaneers and is crucial in the heart of their defence. He will look to keep Kwayiba quiet, and also prove a menace from set-pieces, as he always does.