Orlando Pirates Reserves kick their season off with a trip to King Zwelithini Stadium where they face off against AmaZulu on Saturday morning.
The opening weekend of the 2024/25 DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) has the young Buccaneers among the first teams on display as they come against Usuthu, with both sides looking to hit the ground running.
Match Overview
The start of the new season presents a clean slate for the Soweto Giants, who endured a disappointing finish to their last campaign. They finished in third place with 11 points separating them from top spot, despite spending a huge chunk of the season occupying the summit of the table.
This was their third consecutive top-three finish, having taken up third and second spot respectively in the two seasons prior, and they will be looking to take the next step by going all the way and clinching their maiden DDC title.
Among the fresh faces who recently integrated into Joseph Makhanya’s squad are versatile defender Dimpho Madalane and goalkeeper Bayanda Zulu, who were both part of the First Team’s pre-season tour to Spain. The duo is expected to play a big part in the Bucs Reserves’ drive for silverware along with some of the more familiar talents that have done the hard yards in the club’s youth setup.
AmaZulu have meanwhile added some experience in the technical department, roping in ex-Lamontville Golden Arrows striker Vusumuzi Vilakazi, who is fresh off a successful coaching stint in the Premiership with Richards Bay.
The 2021 Reserve League champions are determined to rediscover their former glory after finishing a lowly 14th place in the last campaign, where they only managed to avoid defeat in just a third of their fixtures.
With their season opener taking place in a familiar backdrop, they will be looking to usher in a new era by disposing of one of the biggest names in South African football.
Head-to-Head
The Bucs Reserves were dominant over their Usuthu counterparts throughout last season, beating them 3-0 away from home before clinching a 3-2 victory at Rand Stadium. This took their tally of wins in their three most recent encounters to three, with their last defeat dating back to October 2022 when a solitary strike from the opposition was enough to ensure an upset at home.
Over the past three campaigns at this level, Pirates have had a slight edge in terms of head-to-head results, winning four of the last six games played while AmaZulu emerged triumphant in the other two.
Half of the young Buccaneers’ victories in this period have come on the road, with Usuthu failing to clinch a home win in their last five attempts.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates Reserves vs AmaZulu Reserves
The match kicks off at 10:00 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL (202) and the La Liga channel (204). Live updates will be posted across Orlando Pirates’ social media channels.
Entry at the match venue is free.
