It’s business as usual amid the festivities for Orlando Pirates, who host Marumo Gallants in the Betway Premiership this afternoon. Orlando Stadium hosts this rare Christmas Eve encounter, which is the penultimate game of the year for both sides.
It’s a relatively new rivalry in the top flight, which will be reignited following the visitors’ brief absence from the top flight. Three points will be top of the priority list for both sides with the Buccaneers on a mission to reclaim the top spot while the men from the Free State will be determined to claw their way out of the bottom half of the standings.
Previous meetings
All previous league fixtures between the two sides have occurred over a brief span starting at the beginning of the 2021/22 season and finishing halfway through the following campaign.The four league fixtures played so far have been dominated by Pirates, who went on a three-match winning streak prior to Gallants’ brief absence from the top flight.
Two of these three wins took place at Orlando Stadium, where the Buccaneers are yet to drop points against Bahlabane Ba Ntwa. They only failed to get over the line in the very first meeting, which ended in a goalless draw.
Goal Scorers
The fixture has so far produced a total of six goals. Unsurprisingly, these have been heavily slanted in favour of the Buccaneers who have netted five and only conceded once.
Gallants were however the first to find the net as they went ahead in the 12th minute through Siphelele Ntshangase in their second league encounter against Pirates, with the game played at Orlando Stadium a little over three years to the day. That particular clash went on to finish in a 2-1 scoreline in favour of the hosts as ex-Bucs striker Kwame Peprah struck twice in quick succession to complete the comeback with under 30 minutes played.
The Ghanaian attacker remains the leading goal-scorer, with Paseka Mako, Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo and Monnapule Saleng each currently at a goal apiece. Mako’s goal stands out as the fastest scored in the fixture, with the left-back finding the net just three minutes into the game to secure Pirates a 1-0 victory at home.
Ndlondlo is meanwhile the only player to have struck in the second half, with his 68th minute penalty in the most recent clash between the two sides crucial in handing the Buccaneers their first away win against Bahlabane Ba Ntwa.
Control in the Middle
Key to Pirates’ dominance in the fixture has been their control in terms of ball possession. Across the four games, they have comfortably led in the ball possession stakes. In all but one of the four games played, the Buccaneers have enjoyed over 55% of the ball, maintaining attacking pressure and limiting Bahlabane Ba Ntwa’s opportunities.
Composure Under Pressure
While the Premiership is physical in nature with fouls a regular feature of the game, fixtures between Pirates and Gallants have been played in a good spirit. Both teams have displayed good discipline throughout with only 13 yellow cards dished out. The Free State outfit slightly edges the Soweto Giants in that regard as they boast seven yellows. To date, no player has been cautioned more than once while a red card is yet to be shown.
Match Access Guide
Tuesday’s fixture kicks off at 15:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL. Tickets for the game are still available for purchase online through TicketPro or at select outlets across the country.
