Siphesihle Soni looks ahead to this weekend’s DStv Premiership fixtures. The pick of the action sees Stellebosch face Cape Town City in a Cape Derby. Elsewhere, Pirates host TS Galaxy and Chiefs are away at Polokwane City.
Mamelodi Sundowns continue to ink their name in the PSL history books. They recently made history by becoming the first team to win all nine of their opening league fixtures. Masandawana are back at the top of the DStv Premiership table and look set on their seventh consecutive league title. Cape Town City, meanwhile, look to have found their winning formula and has climbed the table to the second spot.
At the bottom of the log, Cape Town Spurs have suffered four consecutive defeats. Their new head coach Ernst Middendorp is yet to produce positive results. Fifteenth-placed Richards Bay FC recently bowed out of the Carling Knockout Cup and will now shift their focus to the league where they are threatened with relegation. Let’s dive into this weekend’s DStv Premiership clashes!
Friday 8 December
Stellenbosch 22/10 | Draw 2/1 | Cape Town City 12/10 (19:30)
Stellies head into this match high on confidence after a resounding 3-0 over Richards Bay FC in their Carling Knockout Cup semi-final clash. Before they head into the final against TS Galaxy, they will first have to shift their focus to the DStv Premiership where they will be taking the high-flying Cape Town City FC in the much-anticipated Cape Derby. Both teams are undefeated in their past five matches.
The Citizens are currently second on the log with 25 points. They are breathing down the neck of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, but have played three more games than the Tshwane outfit. They will be looking to stretch their winning run in the league to seven matches. However, winning against Steve Barker’s men is easier said than done. I expect City to fight tooth and nail in this clash as a win will them back at the top of the log. I see this match ending in a draw.
Saturday 9 December
Polokwane City 16/10 | Draw 2/1 | Kaizer Chiefs 16/10 at (15:30)
Struggling Polokwane City are on a five-match winless run, and they will be looking to turn things around at the expense of Kaizer Chiefs. City fell short of Amakhosi in their last clash suffering a 3-2 defeat. They recently restructured their coaching department and football fans are interested to see whether this move will yield more positive results.
Amakhosi are heading to this match at the back of a 1-0 win over Swallows. They are one of the most unpredictable teams in the league at the moment. Coach Cavin Johnson is still in search of a solid starting XI and has been making changes in his starting line-up ever since he took charge of the team. Back Kaizer Chiefs to win.
Chippa United 2/1 | Draw 2/1 | Golden Arrows 13/10 (17:45)
Chippa United have not had a win in their past four league matches, drawing three and losing once. They need to come out all guns blazing in this match as a win against Arrows will not be easy to attain. They are currently 12th on the log and are desperate for points to break clear of the relegation zone.
Golden Arrows on the other hand started the season well but have been fallen off the wagon of late, having suffered four consecutive defeats in all competitions. Strange to think that not too long ago Abafana Bes’thende were viewed as title contenders. They have dropped to fifth place and 10 points off the pace. This is a must-win match for them if they’re to keep their slim title hopes alive. Arrows to win.
Orlando Pirates 1/1 | Draw 21/10 | TS Galaxy 5/2 (20:00)
Ninth-placed Orlando Pirates will have their hands full when they face the highly motivated TS Galaxy who recently booked their place in the Carling Knockout final after defeating AmaZulu 3-2. The Buccaneers’ defence will have to watch out for the attacking trio of Higor Vidal, Sphiwe Mahlangu and Samir Nurkovic who have been deadly of late.
The Rockets will be looking to replicate the stellar performances that have underlined their run to the Carling Knockout Cup final. They are currently 10th on the log and a win in this match will see them entering the top eight, however, beating Pirates will be tough. Sead Ramovic has proven to be an excellent tactician, and this will be an interesting match as there is no obvious winner. I can’t separate these sides. I’ll take the draw.
Sunday 10 December
Royal AM 9/10 | Draw 22/10 | Richards Bay 28/10 (15:30)
Royal AM will be looking to build on their 2-1 win over Cape Town Spurs when they take on their KwaZulu-Natal rivals Richards Bay FC. Things have not been going well for the Pietermaritzburg-based club who are currently 14th on the log. In the 12 matches that they have played, they have won four and suffered six defeats with the other two matches ending in draws.
The Natal Rich Boyz suffered a 3-0 defeat in the semi-finals of the Carling Knockout Cup when they faced Stellenbosch and will want to redeem themselves against Thwihli Thwahla. Kaitano Tembo is desperate for positive results as his side is currently 15th on the log with 10 points. A win for his side will be a great confidence booster in their effort to climb the table and move away from the relegation zone. The team has been porous at the back having conceded fifteen goals this term. My money is Richards Bay to win.
