Orlando Pirates make another coastal voyage this weekend as they head to Gqeberha for a DStv Premiership cash against Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
A maximum of 18 points is on offer in the remainder of the season, with the Buccaneers currently in pole position for the CAF Champions League spot that is still being contested, having worked their way to second place in the log.
Form Guide
They ascended up the standings via a 2-0 win over Richards Bay in Durban over the weekend, with Terrence Dzvukamanja and Monnapule Saleng each finding the net.
This has made it four wins in the last five league games for the Soweto Giants, who are currently tied on 40 points with SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs.
They will be on a mission to create some distance between themselves and their Gauteng rivals when they take on the Chilli Boys, who are in a tight battle of their own on the opposite end of the table.
While they have managed to avoid defeat in their last two outings, Chippa remain winless in their last five league games with their last victory dating back to late January.
This has seen them drop to 14th place in the standings, just three points ahead of bottom-placed Marumo Gallants.
Team News
The hosts are sweating on the availability of experienced defender Trevor Mathiane, who sat out the 1-1 draw against SuperSport United over the weekend after picking up an injury, while midfielder Azola Matrose has not featured in the match day squad since being stretchered off late in the stalemate against Cape Town City in January.
Chippa will also likely be without winger Jemondre Dickens, who has not made an appearance for the club this season due to a long-term injury.
Meanwhile, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro looks set to have close to a full squad to call upon on Saturday, having welcomed the likes of Thabang Monare and Bandile Shandu back to the match day lineup over the past few weeks, with midfielder Goodman Mosele among those who will be eyeing a run after a spell on the sidelines.
Key Players
Terrence Dzvukamaja (Orlando Pirates): The striker keeps repaying faith shown in him by the coach by churning out a string of good performances. Dzvukamanja’s aerial ability makes him the perfect target inside the opposition’s penalty area, where he has helped himself to four league goals in nine appearances, including three in his last four starts.
Etiosa Ighodaro (Chippa United): In his debut season in the South African top flight, the 21-year-old forward already features in the Golden Boot race after finding the net a total of eight times so far in the league. The Nigerian has proven to be a tricky customer with his pace off the mark and clinical finishing, and could be a handful for the Bucs defence.
Head-to-Head
The two sides have met a total of 19 times in league football, with Pirates emerging as the dominant outfit between the two over the years.
The Buccaneers have registered 13 wins in fixtures against the Chilli Boys, who have ended up on the winning side just four times.
It is however the men from Gqebera who were victorious the last time these two sides did battle, as they stunned the Soweto Giants on their own patch earlier in the season when Abdi Banda headed in late to ensure a shock 1-0 win.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates vs Chippa United
The game kicks off at 17:30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL. Live updates will also be provided across Orlando Pirates social media platforms as well as the Club’s official app.
GQEBERHA | ARE CHIPPA UNITED READY FOR A HEAD-ON CLASH WITH ORLANDO PIRATES TODAY?
Reviewed by MHM Marketing & Design
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14:35:00
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Reviewed by MHM Marketing & Design
on
14:35:00
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