The stage is set for a blockbuster encounter as Orlando Pirates prepare to lock horns with Mamelodi Sundowns in a top-of-the-table Betway Premiership clash at FNB Stadium on Sunday.
It’s another massive fixture hosted by the Buccaneers at the iconic FIFA World Cup venue as they headline the weekend’s league action with another high-stakes assignment. They lock horns with the defending league champions, who present a key hurdle in their attempts to keep alive their bid for what has been one of their most elusive pieces of domestic silverware.
Form Guide
In what is the Buccaneers’ first home league fixture in almost a month, their impressive record in Soweto is set to be placed under its sternest test yet. They take on a side that is not only top of the charts as far as the overall standings are concerned, but one that also leads the charge among the best performers on the road this season with 25 points earned in 11 away matches.
However, Sundowns’ recent travels have not produced the most optimal returns. Having dropped a total of eight points throughout the season, half of those have occurred in their last five away fixtures. They suffered a shock defeat to TS Galaxy in Mbombela while a recent trip to Hammarsdale could only yield a single point against Lamontville Golden Arrows.
The slip-ups have been few and far between nonetheless, as they make the short journey to Soweto as the league form team over the past month by some distance. They are coming off a 2-0 home victory over AmaZulu in midweek, a result that helped increase the gap between themselves and their next opponents to a daunting 18 points.
Pirates meanwhile failed to make a significant dent in the deficit earlier in the week when they played to a goalless draw against a 10-man Stellenbosch in Athlone. It was the latest in a recent string of indifferent results, where they have collected less than half of the points on offer in their last five league outings.
Their struggles have mainly been on the road while in the games they have hosted, they have been near-unbeatable with only a single stain to their record in the form of a defeat to the same team faltered against on Tuesday. That was back in December, and in the months since then, normal service has somewhat resumed.
They defeated the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Cape Town City in Soweto to make it eight wins in nine home league games this season, while also collecting a convincing cup victory in a tricky Nedbank Cup assignment at Orlando Stadium. Now returning to the scene of last month’s Soweto Derby victory, they search for another big scalp in a game that could alter the shape of the rest of the league campaign.
Team News
Suspensions have been a feature for both camps in the weeks leading up to this crucial encounter, but there will be no such worries on Sunday. This means that all players declared as match fit at either side are available for selection.
Defender Olisa Ndah and midfielder Miguel Timm are two players that could find themselves back on the pitch in the coming weeks. Yanga Madiba and Azola Tshobeni have meanwhile rejoined the squad after travelling to Egypt as part of South Africa’s squad participating in African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers.
Neo Maema and Terrence Mashego are also back in the Sundowns camp after their involvement in the same qualifiers. Meanwhile, new signing Lebo Mothiba will be eyeing a debut in the near future having recently made the move to the Brazilians as a free agent.
Key Players
Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates): The defender has hit a solid run of form, raking up a few Man of the Match performances in the process. Key in defence and one of the leaders in the squad, Sibisi’s influence will be key against an attack that is not short of firepower.
Lucas Ribeiro (Mamelodi Sundowns): One of the standouts in the league throughout the season, Ribeiro will undoubtedly be one to watch on Sunday. The Brazilian currently leads the race for the Golden Boot and will be keen to replicate his heroics from the reverse fixture.
Head-to-Head
Pirates are presented with another opportunity to confront what has been a disappointing league record against Sundowns in recent seasons. They are without a win in a little over five years while their most recent encounter with their Tshwane counterparts yielded yet another defeat.
The 4-1 scoreline in that particular fixture is one the hosts will hope was nothing more than an outlier as fixtures played by the two sides over the past year have been tight affairs. Sundowns prevailed in two during this period – both at Orlando Stadium – while the Soweto Giants managed to come away with a point at Loftus Versfeld last season, despite finishing the game with 10 men.
It has only been in cup games where the Buccaneers have had the upper hand against one of their fiercest rivals, triumphing in all three of their most recent encounters outside the Premiership – including two cup finals. They will be better served approaching Sunday’s clash with a mentality needed for such do-or-die affairs, with minimal slip-ups required throughout the remainder of their league campaign.
TV Coverage and Ticket Info
The game kicks off at 15:30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL and Variety 4. Orlando Pirates will provide live updates across the Club’s social media platforms as well as the Club’s official mobile app.
Tickets to attend the game are available online on pirates.opentickets.co.za, while physical tickets can be purchased at over 1,700 outlets nationwide, including Shoprite, USave, and Checkers.
SOURCED FROM THE ORLANDO PIRATES WEBSITE.
