Our local football scribe previews round 20 of the 2016/17 season of the ABSA Premiership.
While all the hype will be on the Soweto Derby on Saturday, the doctor will be looking at the rest of the matches taking place in gameweek 20. There’s lots of value on offer and money to be made this weekend!
Friday 3 March
Bidvest Wits 6/10 | Draw 5/2 | Bloemfontein Celtic 5/1
Title-chasing Bidvest Wits will be looking to return to winning ways when they host 13th-placed Bloemfontein Celtic. The Clever Boys were beaten 2-0 by fellow title contenders Mamelodi Sundowns last Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Gavin Hunt’s charges will be happy to be back at Bidvest Stadium where they’ve won their last four matches, scoring 16 goals and conceding twice. Celtic suffered a 3-0 loss at home to Platinum Stars last Saturday, their third defeat from four matches. Wits won the reverse fixture 2-1 and are tipped to pick up maximum points.
Platinum Stars 19/20 | Draw 23/10 | Chippa United 28/10
Platinum Stars snapped a five-match winless streak in the ABSA Premiership by winning 3-0 at Bloemfontein Celtic thanks to a brace from new signing Gerald Phiri and goal from Bongi Ntuli. The win saw Cavin Johnson’s side rise from 14th to 12th on the table with 19 points from 18 games.
Two goals from Lerato Manzini weren’t enough to hand Chippa United a win against Golden Arrows last Friday as a double from Lerato Lamola ensured Abafana Bes’thende claimed a share of the spoils. The Chilli Boys are winless in their last six matches in the league at the time of writing, suffering five defeats while scoring just once. The home win is tipped.
Cape Town City 28/10 | Draw 22/10 | Mamelodi Sundowns 1/1
Lehlohonolo Majoro rolled back the years by scoring a brace for Cape Town City as they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at bottom-of-the-log Baroka FC. The Citizens are unbeaten in four matches with three wins, scoring 10 goals while conceding twice – keeping three clean sheets – in the process. Eric Tinkler’s charges will need to be at their best to take points off reigning African champions Sundowns.
From the teams in the top half of the table, Cape Town City have conceded the most goals (11) at home – level with Maritzburg United. That doesn’t bode well for their chances as Pitso Mosimane’s side are deadly in attack, having scored 30 goals in 14 games – one goal behind top scorers SuperSport who have played four games more. At the time of writing, the Brazilians are riding a seven-match unbeaten streak in the ABSA Premiership, winning six times. My money’s on the away win.
Saturday 4 March
Kaizer Chiefs 9/10 | Draw 23/10 | Orlando Pirates 3/1
All heads will turn to the FNB Stadium this weekend as Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates go toe-to-toe in the biggest rivalry in South African football. Kaizer Chiefs have been excellent in recent weeks, going seven games without tasting defeat. Amakhosi have, however, drawn two of those matches, most recently against Ajax Cape Town, where they had to come from a goal down.
The Buccaneers are winless in 10 matches but showed signs of what is to come from Kjell Jonevret. The Orlando Pirates coach wants to see his side’s performance in attack improve ahead of Saturday’s Soweto derby at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Dove Wome seems to be the man in form for Pirates, grabbing two goals in as many games for the Mayfair-based side.
Click here to view our full betting preview>>
Jonevret will hope Wome’s form can influence Ndoro to find his scoring boots once again and add to his prolific goal tally of 11 for the campaign. For value, get on Wome to Score First and Pirates to Win at a staggering 10/1.
Golden Arrows 13/10 | Draw 22/10 | Maritzburg Utd 21/10
A brace from Lerato Lamola earned Golden Arrows a 2-2 draw at Chippa United last week Friday. Clinton Larsen’s side have won just once in their last 10 matches, losing five times. They need to improve quickly if they want to finish in the top eight.
Roger de Sa recorded his first win as Maritzburg United coach with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Free State Stars at Harry Gwala Stadium last Sunday, Lebohang Maboe and Evans Rusike scoring the goals. That result ended their five-match winless streak in the ABSA Premiership. These sides have cancelled each other out in their last two meetings. Back the draw.
SuperSport United 11/20 | Draw 26/10 | Ajax Cape Town 11/2
SuperSport United stretched their unbeaten run in the ABSA Premiership to 17 games last Saturday as they beat lowly Highlands Park 1-0 thanks to a goal from Dean Furman. Matsatsantsa are riding a six-match winning streak at home, scoring 23 goals in the process.
Ajax Cape Town earned a commendable 1-1 draw at home to Kaizer Chiefs, their second consecutive draw. The Urban Warriors are winless in four matches and Stuart Baxter’s side are tipped to collect all three points.
Sunday 5 March
Free State Stars 1/1 | Draw 22/10 | Highlands Park 28/10
Free State Stars, currently 14th in the ABSA Premiership, were beaten 2-1 at Maritzburg United last Sunday. Serame Letsoaka’s charges will welcome the return to Goble Park where they are unbeaten in five matches with three wins on the spin.
Highlands Park, who are a place below Ea Lla Koto on the table, are winless in six matches, suffering four defeats in the process – including two on the bounce. They remain the only team in the league yet to win on the road, losing nine from 12 games played. Take Free State Stars on the Win/Draw Double Chance at 1/5.
Polokwane City 6/10 | Draw 5/2 | Baroka FC 5/1
Polokwane City need to convert their draws into wins with Rise And Shine’s 1-1 stalemate at Pirates last weekend their fourth consecutive draw in the ABSA Premiership. Luc Eymael’s side are unbeaten in their last four matches at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Rise And Shine will fancy their chances of taking all three points against bottom-of-the-log Baroka FC. Kgoloko Thobejane’s side, who have lost four of their last five games, have won just two of their 18 matches this season. The home win doesn’t offer much value, so I’d advise you to stay away.
TREBLE @ 4/1
Bidvest Wits Win 6/10
Sundowns Win 1/1
SuperSport Win 11/20
Written by Doctor’s Orders @Hollywoodbets
