Orlando Pirates have one more assignment on the road before closing out the year as they take a trip to New Peter Mokaba Stadium for a DStv Premiership encounter with SuperSport United on Saturday.
The late afternoon fixture promises to be a spectacle with the two sides sitting at second and third place in the standings midway through the league campaign.
Form Guide
It is the home side who head into the clash higher up the log after 14 games played, with only a single point separating them from the Buccaneers.
Matsatsansa were in continental action in midweek, clinching a dramatic 2-1 victory over Libyan outfit Al-Hilal Benghazi to make it two wins in their two most recent games across competitions. This is after seeing off the challenge of Moroka Swallows in their last Premiership outing, netting twice in the dying moments to snatch all points on offer.
Their league form over an extended period has however been indifferent, with just seven points claimed via two wins and a draw in their last five matches.
They face off against a Pirates side currently enjoying a steady climb up the standings, having just added the scalp of Golden Arrows to that of TS Galaxy and Swallows, who they defeated in their three-match winning streak.
In their last five league outings, the Buccaneers have collected 13 points through four wins and a stalemate and have now gone six games since their last defeat.
Having been near the bottom of the table prior to their current unbeaten streak, a win on Saturday could see them continuing what has been a consistent ascent up the standings, with second place at stake ahead of their last fixture of 2023.
Team News
United are likely to be without former Bucs defender Thulani Hlatshwayo, who has only featured for the club once in their four games played this month.
Pirates meanwhile could be welcoming back attacking midfielder Vincent Pule, who was not part of the match-day squad against Arrows following his early withdrawal during the victory over Galaxy.
They are however guaranteed to have a key player missing in Patrick Maswanganyi, who is suspended for one match for accumulating four yellow cards this season.
Key Players
Karim Kimvuidi (Orlando Pirates): The skillful midfielder is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the league, and will be high on confidence following his Man of the Match display against Arrows. In a handful of starts this season, Kimvuidi has shown his immense potential, impressing with his flair and creativity.
Etiosa Ighodaro (SuperSport United): One of the latest additions to the Matsatsantsa camp, Ighodaro has quickly adapted to his new environment and continued from where he left off in the previous campaign. The 22-year-old has found the net in each of his last two appearances and sits on seven goals across competitions this season.
Head-to-Head
Tapelo Xoki’s second-half goal separated the two sides when they last met, handing Pirates a crucial 1-0 victory following their goalless stalemate earlier in the season.
Fixtures between the Buccaneers and Matsatsansa have often been enthralling spectacles, with 24 goals scored in the last 10 league encounters.
The Soweto Giants have had the most wins during this period, triumphing five times over their Tshwane counterparts, who have emerged on the winning side on three occasions with only two games ending in a stalemate.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates vs SuperSport United
Kick-off is at 17:45 and the game will be televised live on SuperSport PSL. You can also follow the action by keeping an eye on live updates posted across Orlando Pirates’ social media platforms, including the Club’s official mobile app.
