Orlando Pirates will look to reduce the gap between them and PSL leaders Mamelodi Sundowns to 12 points when they visit Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates are coming off a tough CAF Champions League match away to MC Alger of Algeria, where they secured a morale-boosting 1-0 win in the quarter-final first leg, ahead of the return match at Orlando Stadium next Wednesday.
The Buccaneers would have wanted to sit out this match and just focus on the blockbuster Champions League tie but with their accumulated league games, they do not have the luxury of time.
Pirates are 15 points behind Sundowns but have four games in hand and must win all of them to narrow the gap to just three, meaning they can ill afford to drop points in Polokwane.
Outgoing coach Jose Riveiro therefore has no luxury of making wholesale changes with an eye on Wednesday’s match, as it could prove catastrophic in their league ambitions.
Form guide
Both teams come into the match on the back of wins, with Rise and Shine having beaten Richards Bay 3-1 last weekend, while Pirates are riding high thanks to their win in Algiers.
However, Polokwane are in poor form as last week’s win ended a run of eight games without victory, having lost five and drawn three prior to the win.
Meanwhile, Pirates are on a run of five games without defeat, winning four and drawing one over that period, and in their last 10 games, they have suffered just two losses, making them favourites to triumph in Polokwane.
Polokwane’s poor form has seen them slip down to sixth place on 34 points from 24 matches but it is just one point behind third-placed Stellenbosch who have two games in hand over them.
Head-to-head
Victory in Polokwane on Saturday would extend Pirates’ good run against Rise and Shine as they have not lost in any of their last eight meetings.
That includes a 3-0 victory last September, when the 2024-25 season had just kicked off, and in those eight meetings, they have won six and drawn two.
Polokwane’s last win against Pirates came in November 2017, when they secured a 3-2 victory, but their recent poor form will give Riveiro’s men confidence of getting maximum points.
Team news
Both teams have injury concerns coming into the match with Polokwane missing defender Thabang Matuludi, who has been out since January, while forwards Hlayisi Chauke and Douglas Mapfumo are yet to make an appearance in 2025.
For Pirates, Patrick Maswanganyi will miss out again as he continues his recovery from a quad strain while Olisa Ndah also remains out due to a stress fracture.
What have they said?
Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi says there is no time for training given their tight schedule but they have to find a way to win nonetheless.
“There is no physical preparation that one can engage the team with, only analysis. Another cup final for our team as usual and the only language that will be understood is three points,” Nckikzi said on Friday.
Time & where to watch
The match will kick off at 15:00 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium and will be live on SuperSport TV.
Orlando Pirates predicted XI
Chaine, Mako, Hotto, Mbokazi, Sibisi, Mbatha, Makhaula, Dlamini, Nkota, Mofokeng, Mabasa
