It’s back to league action for Orlando Pirates this weekend as they resume their Betway Premiership campaign with a trip to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium for a clash against Polokwane City.
The demands of the business end of the season do not let up for the Soweto Giants, who take to the road once more for Saturday’s encounter. They renew rivalries with Rise and Shine as they switch focus back to the domestic league after a gruelling outing in continental cup competition.
Form Guide
The hard-fought 1-0 CAF Champions League quarter-final victory against MC Alger on Tuesday was a welcome result to kick off a new month for Pirates, and they could make it a perfect week by claiming three crucial points against their Premiership rivals. Their journey to Polokwane comes at a precarious time in their league campaign as they cannot afford many slip-ups in their attempts to plug what remains a significant gap between themselves and the table-topping Mamelodi Sundowns, despite still having four games in hand.
As of now 15 points separate the top two, reduced by three from the previous game week thanks to the Buccaneers’ impressive 2-1 win at home in last month’s top-of-the-table clash. The deficit could have been five-points closer if not for some indifferent results on the road throughout March when they lost to Marumo Gallants and drew against Stellenbosch. Their only away win during this period was against Chippa United in Gqeberha.
A return to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium will nonetheless be a welcome one for the Buccaneers after the venue yielded a handy six points from their two previous visits so far this season.
They now face off against a Polokwane side on a high of their own after a much-needed 3-1 win at home to Richards Bay over the weekend. The result helped them cling on to sixth place in the standings, also ending a seven-match winless streak that included defeats in their two previous home outings.
Having halted a free slide that threatened to derail their hopes for a place in CAF interclub competition next season, Rise and Shine will look to ensure that their most recent triumph turns out to be a watershed moment in their campaign. They still remain among the most productive teams on home soil despite their recent struggles, standing behind only Sundowns and Pirates in terms of points collected in their own backyard this season.
Three points on Saturday could propel them as high as third place in the standings, while significantly altering the shape of the ongoing race for Premiership supremacy.
Team News
Injury has been a factor in both camps over the past few weeks with a few key names still unavailable for Saturday’s fixture.
The home side’s walking wounded include defender Thabang Matuludi, who has been out of action since January. He is joined on the sidelines by forward duo Hlayisi Chauke and Douglas Mapfumo, with both players yet to make an appearance in 2025.
For Pirates, there have been a couple of recent additions to the injury list. Patrick Maswanganyi continues his recovery from a quad strain while Olisa Ndah also remains out due to a stress fracture.
Key Players
Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates): The 28-year-old continues to cement his spot amongst the best shot-stoppers in the country, and his abilities were on full display in Algeria earlier in the week. Fresh off another important clean sheet, Chaine has often been the difference in tight games and will again be key in a tricky away fixture.
Oswin Appollis (Polokwane City): The Bafana winger’s all-action style makes him a testing prospect for any defence and he will be determined to deliver a top performance against the Buccaneers. Appollis is a threat in open play through his pace and directness, while also on hand to punish the opposition come set piece time.
Head-to-Head
Against Rise and Shine, the Buccaneers’ boast one of their longest unbeaten runs in the league with only one active Premiership team going longer without beating the Soweto Giants. The men from Limpopo last celebrated a win in this fixture in the second half of the 2013/14 season when a lone strike from Sipho Jembula handed them three points at home.
It has since been one-way traffic in the 15 matches since then with Pirates collecting eight victories while netting 28 goals and conceding 10. The last of these wins was in the reverse fixture at Orlando Stadium when Monnapule Saleng scored the opener in the 58th minute before replacement striker Evidence Makgopa sealed a 3-0 victory with a quickfire brace in the dying moments.
This means that the visitors have a chance to complete a league double over their hosts, a feat that has only eluded them once in their last three attempts.
TV Coverage and Ticket Info
The match kicks off at 15:00 and will be televised live on SuperSport PSL. You can also follow the action by keeping an eye on live updates posted across Orlando Pirates social media platforms.
SOURCED FROM THE CLUB WEBSITE.
