Orlando Pirates take another step towards title glory

Orlando Pirates continue their hunt for Betway Premiership glory with a trip up north as they travel to take on Magesi at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night.

This rare late-night weekend fixture is the latest chapter in a series of must-win encounters for the Buccaneers, who face another tricky assignment on the road.

They meet a side with just as much motivation to win in a match-up involving two teams stationed at opposite ends of the table.

Survival and the hunt for glory are the main themes deep in the business end of the campaign, and neither side will be willing to give an inch in a fixture whose result holds great significance in the eventual order of the standings.

Disappointing campaign

In only their second season in the Betway Premiership, Magesi’s status as a top-flight outfit hangs in the balance following a largely disappointing campaign.

They are currently at the bottom of the table with the threat of relegation becoming increasingly real after managing just 21 points in 27 league matches.

Dikwena tša Meetse had the opportunity to allay fears of the dreaded drop when they kicked the week off in 14th place ahead of a visit from top flight newcomers Orbit College, who went into the fixture looking for a way out of the basement.

However, a 2-1 result in favour of the visitors ensured that the two sides swapped spots on the log, with the home side left facing an uphill climb in their fight to remain in the division.

While occasionally displaying their ability to spring surprises on some of their more fancied opponents, Magesi’s season has lacked consistency.

They boast just four league wins so far with more than half of their fixtures ending in defeat.

A slight glimmer of hope for the Limpopo outfit is the fact that each of their four victories has been at home, where they have also managed to snatch a point from three of their other visitors.

As they welcome the Buccaneers, Magesi will be without their goal-scorer against Orbit College in Motsie Matima who picked up his fourth caution of the season in the match, triggering a one-match suspension, while Kgothatso Mariba could be back after sitting that particular game out through injury.

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Orlando Pirates’ quest for league honours meanwhile continues with their fate now entirely in their own hands, following midweek league results.

Their 2-0 win away to Stellenbosch brought them within two points of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who could only manage a point in their clash against Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld.

With the Buccaneers still possessing a game in hand, they could finish the week at the top of the standings – a position they will be aiming to retain for the remainder of the season.

This will require another assured performance on the road, something they have proven quite adept at throughout the ongoing campaign.

They journey to Polokwane having collected 30 points in their 13 away fixtures, only missing out on a maximum haul through one defeat and three stalemates.

Victory in what is their penultimate away fixture will not only further strengthen their status as the best travellers this season, but also provide a significant boost to their title hopes.

It’s a result the Soweto giants will be gunning for with the finish line looming large in a season where they have relentlessly pursued the one piece of silverware that has been elusive in recent years.

Head-to-Head

Only in its second season, this young rivalry between Orlando Pirates and Magesi has not been short of unexpected twists.

The biggest of these occurred in the very first meeting between the two sides, when the Limpopo outfit pulled off an upset to ensure an early cup exit for the Soweto giants.

They have met on two other occasions in the same season, with the Buccaneers shifting the momentum their way with an away victory before a surprise stalemate in Orlando.

The pendulum has further swung in their favour in the ongoing season following a 2-1 win in the second round of the Carling Knockout and a comfortable 2-0 home league victory earlier in the year.

With the Buccaneers visiting Dikwena tša Meetse for only the second time since their first encounter, they will be looking to establish early dominance against them on the road, as well as stretch their unbeaten run across competitions to five matches.