Buccaneers, 'Downs target revenge

Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns will target revenge when they face Cape Town City and TS Galaxy respectively, in the headline fixtures for this weekend’s Betway Premiership action.

Pirates, who had their midweek clash against Golden Arrows abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch in Hammarsdale, will host City at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday afternoon – with the Buccaneers keen to avenge a 1-0 reverse at the hands of the Cape side when they last met in January.

And the Citizens have been in miserable form of late, with a 2-0 midweek loss at home to Chippa United bringing their winless run across all competitions to five matches.

The Cape side has scored just one goal in that sequence, with coach Muhsin Ertugral admitting that finding the back of the net is a major issue at present.

“Yeah, this is our problem. We don't score and then the pressure mounts. When we don't score, you can see the dropping of heads, and then one mistake and you get punished,” noted Ertugral.

Sundowns, who opened a 12-point lead at the top of the log with a 3-1 win over Marumo Gallants in midweek, will welcome TS Galaxy to the Lucas Moripe Stadium early on Saturday evening. The Rockets stunned the Brazilians 1-0 in Nelspruit as recently as February 11, and have the chance to become the first team to complete a league double over ‘Downs since Polokwane City in 2017-18.

Galaxy, though, have suffered successive defeats since their win over Sundowns, going down 2-1 at the hands of lower-league Durban City in the Nedbank Cup last weekend, and then 3-2 at the hands of Stellenbosch FC in the league this past midweek.

ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND

The weekend’s action opens on Friday evening at the Danie Craven Stadium, as Stellenbosch host Richards Bay, while Saturday will also feature Chippa United hosting Sekhukhune United at the Buffalo City Stadium, as well as Magesi FC chasing a hat-trick of wins when they face hosts AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Sunday’s pair of matches sees Marumo Gallants and Polokwane City both looking to end win droughts in the league (three and four games respectively), as well as SuperSport United hosting Golden Arrows.

Matsatsantsa are fresh from a 4-1 thrashing of Kaizer Chiefs in midweek which snapped their six-game winless run in the league in spectacular style, while Abafana Bes’thende are winless in four matches across all competitions.

“We gotta get ourselves out of the difficult situation we are in. We haven’t done well in the league, we know that, but it’s not for a lack of effort and trying and commitment is all there,” said United coach Gavin Hunt.

“As I said, we’ve been in football for a long time and the first signs you’ll see is the drop of attitude but the attitude has been fine. Players have been good and sometimes in football you don’t get your deserved results.”

BETWAY PREMIERSHIP WEEKEND FIXTURES

Times CAT

Friday 21 February

7:30pm: Stellenbosch FC v Richards Bay

Saturday 22 February

3:30pm: Chippa United v Sekhukhune United

3:30pm: Orlando Pirates v Cape Town City

5:45pm: Mamelodi Sundowns v TS Galaxy

8pm: AmaZulu FC v Magesi FC

Sunday 23 February

3:30pm: Marumo Gallants v Polokwane City

5:45pm: SuperSport United v Golden Arrows

Royal AM v Kaizer Chiefs – Postponed