It will be Super Sunday for Mzansi football fans when scintillating Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will seek to close the gap on log-leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Betway Premiership this afternoon.
Pirates, who are flattening everything that comes their way, will face Marumo Gallants at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg while Amakhosi will play against Golden Arrows at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, instead of Durban. Both matches will get under way at 1pm.
Amakhosi and the Buccaneers have both had an impressive start to the season and after six rounds of matches, the two biggest clubs in the country have not lost a single match.
Defending champions Pirates are lying second and have been affected by a heavy schedule in the domestic league and the CAF Champions League. Amakhosi are third on the log table standings.
On Thursday, Pirates put up a strong performance when they outsmarted Durban City in a hard-fought 2-0 win at Orlando Stadium. The victory enabled the league champions to reduce Sundowns’ seven points to four, with two games in hand. Sundowns, who received a bye in their CAF outing, have played eight matches, while both Bucs and Chiefs have completed six rounds in the league this season.
It was a statement win for Pirates and they have sent a strong warning to their opponents that many teams are going to leave the slaughterhouse, aka E’sgodini, empty-handed. The match was pencilled in for Bucs to catch up after they spent two weeks engaged in the CAF Champions League against La Cure Waves of Mauritius.
After a goalless firsthalf, Bucs turned on the style in the second period. Lebone Seema opened the scoring in the 58th minute before Tshepang Moremi grabbed the cushion goal in the 69th minute.
For new Chiefs midfielder Adolf Mtasingwa, the match against Abafana Bes’thende provides Amakhosi with an opportunity to produce a statement performance that will add three points to their tally and take them into the hiatus on a high.
“It is important to us as a team considering our recent results. We always focus on the next game and are looking forward to it because we really want to boost our momentum with a win ahead of the Fifa international break that follows,” the Tanzanian international told Chiefs media.
While yet to lose this campaign, Chiefs have drawn three of their last four fixtures after starting the season with two wins in succession.
They lie fourth in the table with 12 points after six rounds, five ahead of seventh-placed Arrows.
Mtasingwa suggests the results haven’t reflected the progress they are making and feels they are on the right track to click into place.
“Our game model is well structured. It’s just that we have been unlucky with results,” he proffers. “We have a good spirit in the camp. We have had a full week to get ready, and we are feeling positive about the game this weekend.”
Instead of facing Arrows in Durban, the match will be played at Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit, where Amakhosi enjoy substantial support, effectively negating Arrows’ home advantage, a point not lost on Mtasingwa.
“The venue can count in our favour because we always have a lot of our fans that turn out to support us, for which we are very grateful.
“Their support is a big motivator for us because we want to make them proud and happy,” he says.
- Orlando Pirates will face Marumo Gallants at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, and Kaizer Chiefs will play Golden Arrows at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, both matches starting at 1pm.
- After six rounds, Orlando Pirates are second and Kaizer Chiefs third in the Betway Premiership, with neither team having lost a match this season.
- Pirates reduced Mamelodi Sundowns' lead from seven points to four after a 2-0 win against Durban City with goals from Lebone Seema and Tshepang Moremi.
- Chiefs have drawn three of their last four matches, currently sitting fourth with 12 points, five points ahead of seventh-placed Golden Arrows.
- The Chiefs vs. Arrows match was moved from Durban to Mbombela Stadium, where Chiefs enjoy strong fan support that mitigates Arrows' home advantage.
