Our football pundit previews the PSL Week 29 action which kicks off on Saturday 4 May 2019.
This is a time for slip-ups, career-defining errors and moments of brilliance! Form goes out the window and concentration levels have to be very high. The period which separates the men from the boys is upon us. Who will head into the final week of the season needing to survive relegation? Who will be fighting to get into the top eight and who will be fighting for the title? Let’s have a look at the action.
Saturday 4 May
AmaZulu 19/20
Draw 43/20
Black Leopards 29/10
AmaZulu cannot finish in the top eight and they need one point to mathematically guarantee PSL safety. Usuthu have only one win in their last five games which shows how shambolic they have been in recent weeks.
Black Leopards are just one spot above the relegation zone ahead of their game against Mamelodi Sundowns in midweek. They really need a win here to steer clear of relegation trouble heading into the last game of the season. Lidoda Duvha might be winless in their last five games but I foresee them turning their fortunes around here and collecting maximum points.
Bidvest Wits 5/10
Draw 26/10
Baroka 11/2
Bidvest Wits’ title hopes were dealt a massive blow last week when they drew 1-1 with SuperSport United in a match where they scored a goal that wasn’t given despite the ball coming off the under side of the cross bar, hitting the ground beyond the goal line and bouncing back into play.
The Clever Boys are now five points off the pace with two games remaining. Baroka are mathematically not safe from relegation yet and last week they displayed a great deal of fighting spirit beating AmaZulu 1-0. Wedson Nyirenda’s men need one win to ensure safety. I think Wits will be too strong and I saw their crosses troubling SuperSport, so Baroka should be no match for them.
Cape Town City 49/20
Draw 18/10
Orlando Pirates 13/10
Fourth-placed Cape Town City have a near-impossible chance of winning the league and spoiling the party should be their objective. They were so superb in their 2-1 victory over Chippa United last week with Gift Links and the 20-year old Shane Roberts coming of the bench to score for Benni McCarthy’s team.
If Sundowns win in midweek against Black Leopards, they will be tied on 53 points with Pirates having played the same number of games. Milutin Sredojevic’s men are on a four-match winning streak and they seem to have hit top form at the right time. They should be happy that they won’t have to deal with Kermit Erasmus who is serving a red card suspension. The momentum is with Pirates and I foresee them winning here.
Highlands Park 13/10
Draw 18/10
Bloemfontein Celtic 49/20
Highlands Park come up against a Bloemfontein Celtic side that’s oozing confidence after downing Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 on the weekend with Ndumiso Mabena soring a superb free kick. Lehlohonolo Seema’s men will be looking to make it three wins in a row while Highlands Park who currently lie 10th will be hoping to put themselves in the right place to challenge for a top eight finish in the last game of the season. Back a share of the spoils here.
Kaizer Chiefs 6/10
Draw 24/10
Free State Stars 5/1
Seventh-placed Kaizer Chiefs are winless in their last five league games with three draws and two defeats. Winning the Nedbank Cup would be the saving grace to what would have been a disastrous season and I think that’s what they’re focusing on now.
Free State Stars are currently two places above the relegation zone and a defeat could see them slide in to the drop zone by the end of the gameweek, depending on other results. They are winless in their last four games and missing chances really let them down in their 2-1 defeat to Golden Arrows last week. This match should end in a draw.
Maritzburg United 33/20
Draw 18/10
SuperSport United 19/10
This is a must-win game for Maritzburg United as a defeat could see them getting relegated by the end of the gameweek. Eric Tinkler’s men managed to beat Black Leopards 2-1 last week to bring themselves to within three points from safety and one from promotional play-offs.
SuperSport United drew 1-1 with Bidvest Wits in a highly-emotive game which saw Dean Furman getting sent off in a controversial incident where he was elbowed by Haashim Domingo and he lost his cool and said something unsavoury to the referee. Matsatsantsa can now not win the league and they’re highly unlikely to finish below sixth on the log. Back Maritzburg to triumph in front of their fans.
Polokwane City 19/20
Draw 43/20
Chippa United 29/10
Polokwane City are almost guaranteed to not finish below sixth and they also can’t win the league. They returned to winning ways when beating Highlands Park last week and they face a Chippa United side that’s in desperate need of points after enduring a three-match losing streak and sliding down into the relegation zone. The hosts should be too strong for Clinton Larsen’s men.
TREBLE @ 11/2
Orlando Pirates Win 13/10
Bidvest Wits Win 5/10
Polokwane City Win 19/20
Written by @EggsBenedictZA
