Orlando Pirates are home for their next DStv Premiership encounter which takes place this Saturday against Lamontville Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium.
A busy week concludes with another crucial league outing for the Buccaneers, who renew rivalries with Abafana Bes’thende as the season heads toward the final stretch.
Form Guide
They return home following a gruelling few days on the road where they only managed a single point over two matches, a turn of results that has seen them drop to fourth place in the standings.
The last of these outcomes was a one-all stalemate in the Original Soweto Derby against rivals Moroka Swallows, who netted first at Dobsonville Stadium before Patrick Maswanganyi’s second-half equaliser secured a point for the Buccaneers.
It was their second draw in five matches, taking their points tally over this period to eight points notched up through two wins and as many draws.
Pirates now gear up for an Arrows side unbeaten in their last three games, fresh off a 2-2 draw at home to SuperSport United where they came back from two goals down to steal a point and maintain ninth place in the standings.
The Durbanites have secured seven points in their last five matches, all coming in their three most recent outings where they have won twice and played to a single stalemate.
They head to Orlando Stadium looking to further underline their resurgent form, with victory holding the potential to push them back into the top eight.
Team News
Arrows have had a few key players sidelined over the past few weeks, with Brandon Theron and Velemseni Ndwandwe among those likely to sit out yet another fixture. The visitors will also be sweating over the availability of defender Nduduzo Mhlongo, who was withdrawn early against SuperSport.
Similarly, the Buccaneers have Bandile Shandu and Evidence Makgopa among those still making their way back to full fitness.
Meanwhile, Bucs coach Jose Riveiro will be forced into a change in the center of the defence with Nkosinathi Sibisi unable to face his former side after being given his marching orders late in the match against Swallows.
Key Players
Tshegofatso Mabasa (Orlando Pirates): The striker has hit the ground running on his return to Pirates colours, seamlessly fitting back in after his recent loan spell. In just seven appearances across competitions for the Buccaneers this season, Mabasa has found the net four times, taking his tally to 10 goals for the season.
Nduduzo Sibiya (Golden Arrows): Able to operate in various positions up front, Sibiya is a busy presence on attack and will be key for Arrows on Saturday. The 28-year-old has mainly started on the wings but has been equally effective in more central positions, tallying up a total of six goals across competitions this season.
Head-to-Head
Pirates will be looking to complete back-to-back league doubles over Arrows, whom they defeated 2-1 in Durban through goals from Patrick Maswanganyi and Karim Kimvuidi.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit has had scant pickings throughout the rivalry, last registering a win against the Soweto Giants a little over three years ago when they scored two unanswered goals at home.
The vast majority of encounters between the two sides have gone the way of the Buccaneers, who have secured wins in 20 of the 37 league matches played since 2004 while only suffering six defeats.
How to Watch Orlando Pirates vs Golden Arrows
Kick-off is at 17:30 and the game will televised live on SuperSport PSL. You can follow the action as it happens by keeping an eye on live updates shared across Orlando Pirates social media platforms, including the Club’s official mobile app.
Tickets to attend the match are available on TicketPro online and in selected outlets nationwide.
