Dortley made a welcome return to action against TS Galaxy on Tuesday, completing the full 90 minutes as Amakhosi cruised to a convincing 3-0 victory over The Rockets to book their place in the Carling Knockout quarter-finals.

It was a significant milestone for the 24-year-old Bafana Bafana international after spending well over a year on the sidelines. His last appearance for the Soweto giants had come on 1 March 2025, making Tuesday’s outing a long-awaited step towards reclaiming his place at the heart of the Chiefs defence.

Now, with the mighty Buccaneers standing between Amakhosi and derby bragging rights, Baloyi believes there is little reason to wrap Dortley in cotton wool.

In the former Chiefs goalkeeper’s view, the left-footed centre-back brings qualities the Glamour Boys have sorely missed, which are composure on the ball, defensive discipline, physical presence and the ability to bring greater balance to a backline that has struggled to convince at times this season.

The defensive combinations tried so far have offered mixed results. The early-season partnership between Zitha Kwinika and Inacio Miguel failed to provide consistent assurance, while the more recent back three, which included Thabo Moloisane, has also struggled to deliver the desired solidity.

According to Baloyi, Dortley’s return could be the missing piece in the defensive puzzle, and Saturday’s blockbuster clash presents the perfect opportunity to put that theory to the test.

“He (Dortley) is one of the most exciting left-footed centre-backs of recent times,” Baloyi told the Hollywoodbets Sport Blog.

“I’m very excited to have him back and playing full 90 minutes against TS Galaxy. I think he’s going to be ready for the derby; he is one of the senior players in the team and his availability is important.

“There is no sense in sparing him or thinking he might not be ready for the intensity of the derby, from what we saw against TS Galaxy. I think he would have also personally taken a lot of motivation from his performance and is ready to fully get back into the swing of things.

“Any Chiefs game is a big game; if he can play against TS Galaxy, then he can play against Orlando Pirates, and I’m hoping to see him in that starting lineup because he brings a lot of stability to that defence.”

Timely return for Dortley

The timing of Dortley’s comeback could hardly be more intriguing. With the Soweto derby looming, Chiefs need more than just individual brilliance; they need defensive organisation, leadership and the ability to withstand sustained pressure from an increasingly dangerous Pirates attack.

Dortley’s presence could offer all three, although the final decision rests with Da Cruz and his assessment of the defender’s fitness following his lengthy absence.

A full 90 minutes against TS Galaxy was an encouraging sign, but the derby will demand a different level of intensity, concentration and resilience. Pirates have shown they can punish defensive lapses, making the selection of Chiefs’ backline one of the most compelling talking points ahead of their showdown.

Still, Baloyi is convinced that the occasion should not be treated as a reason to hold the defender back. If anything, he believes Dortley’s availability gives Chiefs a timely boost before a fixture in which defensive mistakes can prove costly.

Form favours Pirates, but derbies have their own rules

Beyond the battle for defensive stability, the two Soweto rivals head into the contest with contrasting momentum.

Pirates have looked increasingly formidable under Abdeslam Ouaddou, combining attacking firepower with impressive defensive discipline. The Buccaneers have scored 19 goals in eight Betway Premiership matches while conceding just once, underlining their credentials as a formidable force in the title race.

Chiefs, by comparison, have scored 13 goals and conceded eight. Their recent league form has been less convincing, with just one win in their previous five Premiership outings, while Pirates have won five consecutive matches and held an eight-point advantage over their rivals in the standings.

But Baloyi believes the Soweto derby is a fixture in which statistics can quickly become irrelevant.

“At the end of the day, past form is irrelevant in the derby,” insisted Baloyi.

“It doesn’t matter, so both clubs will go into this one with high confidence, but Pirates head into this one as favourites. It promises to be one of the most exciting derbies in recent times.”

Chiefs’ goalkeeping carousel concerns Baloyi

While Dortley’s return offers encouragement, Chiefs’ goalkeeping situation remains another issue under scrutiny.

The Glamour Boys have already turned to all three of their goalkeepers this season, with Brandon Petersen, Renaldo Leaner and Bruce Bvuma each having had an opportunity between the posts.

Baloyi believes the repeated changes are far from ideal, particularly given the importance of consistency in such a crucial position. However, he acknowledged that injuries have largely dictated the situation rather than deliberate tactical experimentation.

“There’s been a lot of chopping and changing for Chiefs in the goalkeeping department, which is arguably the most important position,” added Baloyi.

“But to our knowledge, all the changes have been injury-enforced. Brandon Petersen, although he was not having a great time at the beginning of the season, got that injury that coincided with his dip in form.

“Leaner then came in and is now injured after only a few games. We hadn’t seen much from him apart from that game in Zambia where we saw him arguing with his teammate before we later learned that he is now injured.

“Bvuma had to step in, and soon after that we were thinking he would take his chance, but it looks like Petersen is back fit and is getting the nod, understandably so; it is not a surprise because he is the club captain. We can only hope that he regains the form that made him one of the best players last season.”