Orlando Pirates return to cup action this weekend when they face off against Sekhukhune United in the first of two legs of the MTN8 semifinal on Saturday.
The Old Peter Mokaba Stadium hosts this crucial encounter with the Buccaneers resuming another title defence after turning their attention to league action over the past week. They remain on the road for the third consecutive fixture as they take an all-important trip to Limpopo, which could go some way towards determining whether their quest for the first piece of silverware on offer this season remains alive.
A tricky opponent in the form of Babina Noko stands in their way in a match-up where the stakes demand the utmost precision. All the ingredients are in place for a gripping semifinal clash between two sides who have served up some memorable contests in what is still a relatively young rivalry.
The Challenge Ahead
The two sides are geared up for what is a unique challenge as they are set to face one another three times in the space of a little over a week. All the focus however remains on Saturday’s task as each will be determined to put down a vital marker in the first of two legs in a bid to have the edge halfway through the race to the final.
Arriving in this particular clash as the away side, Pirates will have to contend with the accumulated demands of an extended spell on the road. This is after their recent league excursion to KwaZulu-Natal where they returned with four points through a stalemate against AmaZulu, followed by an emphatic win over Chippa United.
Their road to Polokwane featured some toil at the start when they were pushed all they way by a determined Durban City in the quarter-final, which was decided in dramatic style in the very last action of the 120-minute encounter. They made it past the first hurdle of the MTN8 for the fifth season running, and now look to reign supreme over two legs against the Limpopo outfit.
Pirates will have to face Sekhukhune without the likes of Sihle Nduli and Thalente Mbatha, while Tshepang Moremi could soon return after sitting out the win over Chippa. There are notable absentees in the opposite camp, with left-back Vuyo Letlapa ruled out through injury while on-loan right-back Tshepho Mashiloane is unavailable against his mother club.
Despite these absences, Babina Noko do possess a squad capable of posing a significant threat, as displayed in glimpses during the early part of the campaign. They made it to the final four of the MTN8 through an entertaining 4-3 win over AmaZulu and have emerged victorious in two of their three league fixtures so far, producing a dominant showing in last Sunday’s Limpopo derby against Polokwane City.
The only blemish to their record this season is a 2-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs days prior to the clash against their provincial rivals, where their strong response will have helped put that setback firmly behind them.
The task at hand will command the full attention of both sides with all to play for in a fixture that kicks off a weekend of highly-anticipated semifinal action.
What Was Said
Abdeslam Ouaddou (Orlando Pirates): We just have to stick to our principles, our way of playing football. You know we are not too focused on the opponent, even when we study the opponent.
Cedric Kaze (Sekhukhune United): We know how big is the mountain we need to climb, but we are preparing ourselves and want to compete. Starting on Saturday, for the first leg we need to be our best.
Head-to-Head
Pirates and Sekhukhune have a rivalry that only stretches over five seasons, consisting of just two cup games. Their first high-stakes encounter was the 2022/23 Nedbank Cup final, where the Buccaneers secured a dramatic 2-1 victory to walk away as champions.
They then contested the quarter-final of the MTN8, with the same team emerging victorious once more – this time in more emphatic fashion as they put five unanswered goals past Babina Noko at Orlando Amstel Arena to launch the defence of their title.
Across competitions, the two sides have met 12 times with Pirates edging the head-to-head results with six wins to Sekhukhune’s four while only two games have produced stalemates. The Soweto Giants are also responsible for most of the goals, as they account for 15 of the 25 scored thus far.
TV Coverage and Ticket Info
The match is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL and SABC 1. Supporters can also stay updated with the action as it happens by following live coverage and match updates across Orlando Pirates’ official social media platforms as well as the Match Centre on the Club’s official website.
Tickets to attend the fixture are available online on OpenTickets.
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB’S WEBSITE.
