SuperSport United will be eyeing a return to winning ways against fellow DStv Premiership side Polokwane City as in-form Sekhukhune United renew their rivalry with Stellenbosch FC.
SuperSport United will need all three points at home to Polokwane City on Wednesday if they hope to keep their CAF Champions League dreams alive.
Matsatsantsa have dropped down the DStv Premiership standings to sixth following a poor run of form that sees them five points adrift of Stellenbosch in second place.
Gavin Hunt’s side have not won in their last seven league games and were most recently hammered 4-0 by Stellies in the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup.
It’s likely their participation in the CAF Confederation Cup had an impact on domestic performances, but that will only be exacerbated by playing in the Champions League next season without a far larger squad.
In Polokwane, they face a team in 11th place in their first season back in the South African top-flight, with 28 points from 22 games – just six points behind SuperSport.
They most recently lost 3-2 to Royal AM and also lost out in the Nedbank Cup to struggling Richards Bay, while managing a 1-1 draw with SuperSport in their first round game earlier this season.
Ahead of the tie, Hunt told SABC Sport: “You know, we’ve had a bit of a bad run, the last game or two. People can talk about the draws, it’s three away games – we have played really tough games.”
Because of fighting on so many fronts, SuperSport have utilised several young players, with Hunt adding: “We will try every game, we can’t blame them for the turn of events, it’s been a collective effort.
“They (the academy players) will learn in the process. I mean these boys come from winning the Diski, it is easy there, but when it comes to the senior level you battle away. But they will get better.”
🚨MATCHDAY🚨
— SuperSport United FC (@SuperSportFC) April 17, 2024
Wednesday Night Light action for Matsatsantsa. Rise and Shine is up next! 🔵💪
🆚 Polokwane City
🏟 Lucas Moripe Stadium
🕒 19:30
📺 SS PSL 202
🎫 R20 Children u12
🎫 R40 Adults
🔗 https://t.co/B8oSazYLyD#MatsatsantsaUnified | #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/h3ecqlEdyx
While Stellenbosch are enjoying an exceptional season, they will need to be at their best to overcome a Sekhukhune United team, who are also on a superb run of form.
Steve Barker’s Stellies are in second on the DStv Premiership and won their first top-flight trophy this season in the Carling Knockout Cup. They are also in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup, having hammered SuperSport United 4-0 last time out.
Under Lehlohonolo Seema, Sekhukhune are just two places and four points worse off, in fourth on the DStv Premiership standings, having enjoyed a strong run in the league, most recently seeing off the likes of Orlando Pirates, while holding both Cape Town City and Stellies to draws. The two sides meet again, this time with Sekhukhune playing in front of their own fans.
“We’ve got a lot of ambitions,” Barker said. “There’s a lot to play for in the league, with eight games remaining. We are going to Sekhukhune [tomorrow] and that will be followed by a trip to Mbombela to play Galaxy. So, we have two tough away fixtures against two teams who are in good form.
“For now we will concentrate on the league fixtures because it’s one game at a time. We just have to keep things together. There’s no looking back now… we are on the island and we must stay on the island, push in all the remaining games.”
After drawing with Stellies, Seema said: “We are very happy to come away with a point here. This is really like a slaughterhouse and I can see why it is just so difficult for visitors to get points here.
“It was a very, very difficult game for us but we knew that. However, the weather did not make it easier for both teams.”
Pre-match thoughts with Assistant Coach MacDonald Makhubedu ahead of tomorrow's #DstvPrem encounter against @StellenboschFC
— Sekhukhune United F.C. (@SekhukhuneFc) April 16, 2024
🦔🦔🦔#Adibahlabe pic.twitter.com/9sFJ6uTWyN
