Orlando Pirates will return to Betway Premiership action on Wednesday night after barely recovering from their CAF Champions League defeat.
Just a few days after FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo’s devastating defeat in Lubumbashi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Sunday, the Buccaneers will face Polokwane City at Orlando Stadium.
A heavy 3-0 beating in their second preliminary round dealt a major setback to Pirates’ Champions League ambitions.
Tough task ahead
The defending MTN8 champions will now face a difficult task; they need to beat FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo by 4-0 in the second leg if they want to advance to the Champions League group stages this year.
But first, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou and his charges will be looking to set the tone and get into that winning groove by getting maximum points against a tricky Polokwane City side in front of their home fans.
City, like many other teams in the league this season, have been inconsistent. The Limpopo-based team has emerged victorious in three of their last four league games, all of which were away from home.
Tied at 15 points
The last time the two sides met was in the MTN8, when Pirates knocked them out in the quarterfinals and went all the way to successfully defend their crown for the record fourth time.
However, the Betway Premiership standings show a different dynamic, with the two sides tied at 15 points.
The Sea Robbers are, though, ahead at number three, while City are sitting at position six.
A win for Pirates will see them edge closer to log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who are sitting on top with 21 points.
The game between Bucs and City is scheduled to get underway at 7.30pm.
