DDC Preview: Maritzburg United

4 February, 2023

Orlando Pirates Reserves are back in KwaZulu-Natal for their next DStv Diski Challenge fixture, which is against Maritzburg United at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday.

The two teams kick off the action in another exciting weekend of Reserve League football with the second half of the campaign getting underway.

Form Guide 

The Bucs Reserves head into the fixture three points behind the table-topping Cape Town City, having narrowed the gap through a 2-0 victory at home to Richards Bay in their last outing.

It was a return to winning ways for the Soweto Giants, who had suffered defeat in the previous week.

That result remains the only blemish in their record in over three months, where they have collected 21 out of the 24 points on offer in a remarkable run that began in late October.

They now come up against a Maritzburg side that’s starting to build a head of steam after struggling through much of the season.

The KZN outfit currently occupies 12th place in the standings after winning their last two matches, and appear to have turned a corner following a difficult run of results that consisted of six defeats and two draws.

With just four wins collected so far this season, three points could take them up to 10th place in the standings, depending on the weekend’s other results.

Head-to-Head

The two sides’ conflicting fortunes over the past three months began when Pirates clinched a 1-0 win over Maritzburg which kickstarted a six-game winning streak, while the Team of Choice began a run of six matches without a win. 

This means that the Soweto Giants will compete a double over the KZN outfit, should they triumph in Durban.

The win from earlier in the season gave the Buccaneers a slight upper hand in terms of recent results between the two teams, as they now boast four wins and three defeats in the last seven clashes against the men in blue.

How to Watch Orlando Pirates Reserves vs Maritzburg United Reserves

The game kicks off at 10:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL (202) and Variety 4 (209). Live updates will be provided across Orlando Pirates social media platforms.

Entry into the match venue is free.