Orlando Pirates remain in Bloemfontein as they return to Betway Premiership action with a clash against Siwelele on Tuesday night.
Free State Stadium will once again play hosts to the Buccaneers, who run out in their first league outing in September. They visit one of the top-flight’s newest names, with the two teams kicking off the week’s league action.
It’s a fixture that could produce sparks, with the visitors looking to add three more points to their tally ahead of their return to Soweto, while the hosts are determined to make the most of home comforts with a big performance that could turn their season around.
The Opposition
A promising start to life in the Premiership lasted just one game for Siwelele, who have only managed to add one point to the three earned in their season opener at home to Lamontville Golden Arrows. Five defeats and a single draw since the first game week have seen them drop near the bottom of the table in 14th place.
Their last outing was the latest in a string of disappointing results, as they played the majority of the match with 10 men en route to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Magesi. This stretched their goalless streak to six matches, the longest such run in the league currently.
With all three goals coming in the victory against Arrows, Siwelele’s quest to end their goal drought has been compounded by the unavailability of experienced striker Samir Nurkovic. The red card earned by the Serbian against Magesi rules him out for two matches, starting with the clash against the Buccaneers.
They will also be without their leading goal scorer Siviwe Magidigidi, along with fellow forward Thabang Mahlangu, with both players on national duty with South Africa’s Under-20 men’s squad.
Bucs Team News
Meanwhile, Pirates recent run of results has been a direct contrast to that of their hosts. They go into their midweek assignment fresh off a convincing 3-0 victory over Lesotho’s Lioli in the opening round of the CAF Champions League.
It was their third such result in as many games, having also inflicted similar defeats to Chippa United and Stellenbosch in the Premiership and the MTN8 final, respectively.
Aside from their impressive form in front of goal, the Buccaneers’ success in recent weeks has been a result of their discipline at the back. They are on a run of four consecutive clean sheets across competitions, and sit among the teams with the least goals conceded in the league this season.
Ahead of their visit to Bloemfontein, the Soweto Giants are eighth in the standings and are in search of their fourth straight league victory. Three points on the night could take them as high as fourth place with a game in hand – a sharp turnaround from what was a difficult start to their league season.
They recently welcomed club skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi back from injury and await the return of Deano van Rooyen, while Selaelo Rasebotja and Thabiso Sesane are also recovering from injuries that have kept them out of action during the early stages of the campaign.
Head-to-Head
In a match-up between one of the league’s oldest clubs and the youngest, Tuesday’s clash will mark the beginning of a new rivalry as Pirates and Siwelele cross paths for the first time in history.
TV Coverage and Ticket Info
Kick-off is at 19:30 with the game set to be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL. You can also follow the action as it happens by keeping an eye on live updates posted across Orlando Pirates social media platforms.
Tickets to attend the fixture are available for purchase online on TicketPro and selected outlets nationwide.
