The demands of the business end of the season do not let up for the Soweto Giants, who take to the road once more for Saturday’s encounter. They renew rivalries with Rise and Shine as they switch focus back to the domestic league after a gruelling outing in continental cup competition.

Form Guide

The hard-fought 1-0 CAF Champions League quarter-final victory against MC Alger on Tuesday was a welcome result to kick off a new month for Pirates, and they could make it a perfect week by claiming three crucial points against their Premiership rivals. Their journey to Polokwane comes at a precarious time in their league campaign as they cannot afford many slip-ups in their attempts to plug what remains a significant gap between themselves and the table-topping Mamelodi Sundowns, despite still having four games in hand.

As of now 15 points separate the top two, reduced by three from the previous game week thanks to the Buccaneers’ impressive 2-1 win at home in last month’s top-of-the-table clash. The deficit could have been five-points closer if not for some indifferent results on the road throughout March when they lost to Marumo Gallants and drew against Stellenbosch. Their only away win during this period was against Chippa United in Gqeberha.

A return to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium will nonetheless be a welcome one for the Buccaneers after the venue yielded a handy six points from their two previous visits so far this season.

They now face off against a Polokwane side on a high of their own after a much-needed 3-1 win at home to Richards Bay over the weekend. The result helped them cling on to sixth place in the standings, also ending a seven-match winless streak that included defeats in their two previous home outings.

Having halted a free slide that threatened to derail their hopes for a place in CAF interclub competition next season, Rise and Shine will look to ensure that their most recent triumph turns out to be a watershed moment in their campaign. They still remain among the most productive teams on home soil despite their recent struggles, standing behind only Sundowns and Pirates in terms of points collected in their own backyard this season.

Three points on Saturday could propel them as high as third place in the standings, while significantly altering the shape of the ongoing race for Premiership supremacy.

Team News

Injury has been a factor in both camps over the past few weeks with a few key names still unavailable for Saturday’s fixture.

The home side’s walking wounded include defender Thabang Matuludi, who has been out of action since January. He is joined on the sidelines by forward duo Hlayisi Chauke and Douglas Mapfumo, with both players yet to make an appearance in 2025.

For Pirates, there have been a couple of recent additions to the injury list. Patrick Maswanganyi continues his recovery from a quad strain while Olisa Ndah also remains out due to a stress fracture.

Key Players

Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates): The 28-year-old continues to cement his spot amongst the best shot-stoppers in the country, and his abilities were on full display in Algeria earlier in the week. Fresh off another important clean sheet, Chaine has often been the difference in tight games and will again be key in a tricky away fixture.

Oswin Appollis (Polokwane City): The Bafana winger’s all-action style makes him a testing prospect for any defence and he will be determined to deliver a top performance against the Buccaneers. Appollis is a threat in open play through his pace and directness, while also on hand to punish the opposition come set piece time.

Head-to-Head

Against Rise and Shine, the Buccaneers’ boast one of their longest unbeaten runs in the league with only one active Premiership team going longer without beating the Soweto Giants. The men from Limpopo last celebrated a win in this fixture in the second half of the 2013/14 season when a lone strike from Sipho Jembula handed them three points at home.

It has since been one-way traffic in the 15 matches since then with Pirates collecting eight victories while netting 28 goals and conceding 10. The last of these wins was in the reverse fixture at Orlando Stadium when Monnapule Saleng scored the opener in the 58th minute before replacement striker Evidence Makgopa sealed a 3-0 victory with a quickfire brace in the dying moments.

This means that the visitors have a chance to complete a league double over their hosts, a feat that has only eluded them once in their last three attempts.

TV Coverage and Ticket Info

The match kicks off at 15:00 and 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.

It’s the Bucs Reserves’ first home fixture of the new year and an opportunity to trigger a run of consistent results as the season approaches its halfway mark. They are presented with a tricky challenge in the form of a side with a similar agenda after a tough start to the campaign.

Form Guide

Pirates kicked the year off with another disappointing result, going down 2-1 away to Mamelodi Sundowns. This made it three games without a win, having also lost to Kaizer Chiefs in a game that was preceded by a stalemate against Richards Bay.

The point earned against the Natal Rich Boyz was the Buccaneers’ fourth in their last five fixtures, with the rest coming courtesy of an away victory over defending champions Stellenbosch. It’s a turn of form that has placed them in eighth position in the standings, 11 points behind the log leaders.

Returning to the Vaal after two tough away fixtures could be just the spark needed by the Soweto Giants, who have fared slightly better at home throughout the season. They have recorded a single home defeat since kicking off their campaign but have mainly struggled to get over the line, securing just two wins while drawing their other three games.

Their next opponents are a side that has had bigger struggles on the road, last earning an away point in September last year. Polokwane come into the fixture on the back of five straight defeats as the visiting team and are 12th in the standings.

They began the new year with a goalless stalemate at home to Chippa United, ending a losing streak that had stretched to three matches. Like Pirates, they have earned just four points in their five most recent outings but could fancy their chances of bagging their first win since early November.

Head-to-Head

The visitors will take some confidence into Saturday’s match, following their success when they last encountered the young Buccaneers. This is after taking full advantage of their numerical advantage to net an injury time winner after Jabulani Mokone was sent off midway through the second half.

The reverse fixture had gone the way of the Soweto Giants, who had cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win at Rand Stadium with Ciniso Mazibuko, Mehluleli Maphumulo, and Mpumelelo Ndaba all finding the net.

Despite trading equal blows last season, it is the hosts who maintain a positive record in the fixture with four wins in the last five encounters. They also lead comfortably in the goal-scoring stakes, having scored 10 goals while only conceding twice during this period.

How to Follow Orlando Pirates Reserves vs Polokwane City Reserves

The game is scheduled to kick off at 10:00 and will not be televised. Live updates will be provided across Orlando Pirates social media platforms.

Form Guide
For both teams, the new season began nearly a month prior to the start of the Premiership campaign with both kicking things off with involvement in the MTN8. City’s cup run was a brief one, as they fell on the first hurdle against Mamelodi Sundowns. They resumed preparations for league football, where they have had a dream start with victories over AmaZulu and the newly promoted Magesi.

Having finished the previous season as the biggest surprise package, they’re back in the top half of the standings in second place with four goals scored and just one conceded. The Buccaneers, on the other hand, take to the field for only the second time in the Premiership this season, having shifted attention to continental football over the weekend. It was a successful outing for the Soweto Giants, who completed a 3-0 aggregate win over Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy to book a spot in the group stage of the CAF Champions League.

The result was the latest in a string of good outcomes for Jose Riveiro’s men, who remain unbeaten in eight matches this season with six wins and two draws. These include their league season opener against Chippa United, which ended 2-1 in their favour after an injury- time winner from Monnapule Saleng.

Pirates have been particularly impressive on home soil, where they have won each of their five fixtures, and will be keen to stretch their streak with another three-pointer against the visiting Rise and Shine.

Team News
Having made a few changes on the weekend, Riveiro could be tempted to make some rotations again amid a busy season start. Thalente Mbatha and Relebohile Mofokeng were introduced in the second half against Jwaneng and could be restored to the starting lineup this week. Meanwhile, The Bucs medical team continues to make progress on the injury front, with Tapelo Xoki and Paseka Mako among those who are now working on match fitness after months on the sidelines.

Squad rotation may be on the cards for City as well, with striker Sibusiso Tshabalala among those likely to see more game time following an impressive cameo against Magesi.

Key Players
Monnapule Saleng (Orlando Pirates): The 26-year-old has been a key contributor to Pirates’ recent success and has hit top form ahead of Tuesday’s encounter. Through a combination of blistering pace and technical skill, Saleng is a constant threat down the flank and will be eager to continue his goal scoring run, having netted in each of the Buccaneers’ last two outings.

Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City): The highly-rated fullback enjoyed a breakthrough season last term and has carried his form into the current campaign. With a goal and an assist already this season, Matuludi has been more than effective in supporting his side’s offensive play.

Head-to-Head
The Soweto Giants have a fine league record against the Limpopo outfit, who last tasted victory in this fixture during their first season in the top flight. Head-to-head results since then have strongly favoured Pirates as they boast eight wins in the last 16 matches, with the other half finishing in a stalemate.

The most recent of their victories came earlier this year when a second-half strike from Evidence Makgopa ensured a vital away win for the Buccaneers. City head into the fixture still yet to win at Orlando Stadium, where they have lost four and drawn five.

TV Coverage and Ticket Info
The match starts at 15:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL. Live updates will also be provided across Orlando Pirates social media channels. Tickets to attend the game are available online on TicketPro as well as selected outlets nationwide.