DStv Premiership Preview: Cape Town City
21 April, 2023
Orlando Pirates shift focus back to their DStv Premiership campaign as they welcome Cape Town City to Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It’s the penultimate league fixture held at the iconic venue this season, and the Soweto Giants will be eager to make the most of their home ground advantage to strengthen their chances of finishing in the remaining CAF Champions League spot.
Form Guide
They will however have to contend with a City side desperate for a win after collecting successive draws in their last three outings.
The men from the Mother City failed to get over the line in their last home game against AmaZulu, where they saw a two-goal lead cancelled out in dramatic fashion in the dying moments of a game that finished in a thrilling 2-2 stalemate.
With a total of nine points claimed in their five most recent fixtures, they currently occupy six points with a mathematical chance of finishing in second place on the log, should they sport a 100% win record in their remaining five games.
Pirates, on the other hand, will be looking to make it five league wins in as many matches to go with yet another cup victory, which came via a penalty shootout in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal encounter with Dondol Stars held in Polokwane over the past weekend.
Their recent league form has brought them up to third place in the standings with a game in hand, as they return home with the opportunity to move two-points clear of second-place SuperSport United.
Team News
Pirates did not come out of their marathon cup fixture completely unscathed, with defender Tapelo Xoki emerging as the main injury worry after being stretchered off the field deep into extra time.
The centre-back is in a race against time in a bid to be fit for Saturday, having started the build-up to Saturday’s clash with some light training.
City have finished each of their last two fixtures with 10 men, meaning they will be missing at least two key members of their playing personnel against the Soweto Giants..
Both Brice Ambina and Thabo Nodada are serving red-card suspensions and are ineligible for selection at Orlando Stadium, while Congolese international Idumba Fasika’s extended stay on the sidelines is likely to continue as the player recovers from a knee injury.
Key Players
Kabelo Dlamini (Orlando Pirates): The midfielder’s ability to punch holes in the opposition’s defence with clever passes has led to some key goals for the Buccaneers, and he will be looking for more of the same against City. Dlamini got on the scoresheet in Pirates’ last league fixture, adding to the three assists bagged in his last four appearances.
Khanyisa Mayo (Cape Town City): The energetic attacker has enjoyed a stellar season in City colours with seven league goals to his name, including four of his side’s last six goals. Mainly deployed on the right wing, Mayo has also doubled up as a centre-forward and possessed pace and skill on the ball that has proven troublesome for many defensive units.
Head-to-Head
The two sides met in the Mother City earlier in the year, where the home side fought back from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win after Deon Hotto had put the Buccaneers ahead.
The result meant that the Citizens edged slightly ahead of the Buccaneers in what has been a tightly-contested rivalry, which has produced eight league draws in 15 fixtures, where the Western Cape outfit now leads the Soweto Giants with three wins to two.
It is evenly-matched as far as goals scored are concerned, with each side finding the net 15 times since the two teams first locked horns in September 2016.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates vs Cape Town City
The game is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 and will be broadcast live on Supersport PSL, while you can also stay in touch with the action by keeping an eye on live updates posted on all of Orlando Pirates social media platforms, as well as the Club’s official app.
Tickets are still available online at TicketPro and selected retail outlets, as well as at the Orlando East Community Hall on Saturday, four hours before kick-off.
