Orlando Pirates Reserves head down to Gqeberha over the weekend, where they have been handed a tricky challenge in the form of Chippa United.
The clash is set to take place at Wolfson Stadium on Saturday morning and involves two sides that have taken up residence in the top four of the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) standings for a big chunk of the ongoing campaign.
Fireworks are to be expected on the day, as both side will be looking to put behind them some less-than-satisfactory results endured the last time they took to the field.
Form Guide
The Bucs Reserves could not clinch a third straight victory when they visited Cape Town City at Bidvest Stadium last weekend, instead playing to a goalless draw, their first stalemate of the season.
Their tally of dropped points in the six games played since the start of the new year now adds up to four, and they will be looking to maximise on the points on offer in the remainder of the season, as they continue to seek their first DDC title.
Although they managed to cling on to first place on the log, the result allowed their closest title rivals, Stelllenbosch to close the gap between the top two to just four points.
This means that Pirates cannot afford to allow the chasing pack even closer, and are expected to go out guns blazing against a Chippa United side that has surprised many during the 2021/22 season.
Currently in fourth place, ten points behind Saturday’s opponents, the Chilli Boys were also scoreless when they last took to the field, managing to come back with a single point when they hosted Maritzburg United.
This continued their trend of indifferent results in 2022, where they have collected eight points out of a possible 18, winning just twice.
Head-to-Head
Pirates will be eyeing a double over the men from the Windy City after a late strike from Mohau Nkota handed them a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture.
In defeating the Chilli Boys on Saturday, the Buccaneers will be repeating their exploits from the 2019/20 season, where they claimed victory both home and away against the Eastern Cape-based outfit.
In five encounters played over the last five years against their Chippa counterparts, the Bucs Reserves have had a clear upper hand, drawing one match and winning all four since the earlier stalemate.
How to Follow Orlando Pirates Reserves vs Chippa United Reserves
The game is scheduled to kick off at 11:00 on Saturday, and will not be televised. Orlando Pirates will provide updates throughout the 90 minutes across the Club’s social media platforms.
