Polokwane look to keep up unbeaten run

Jabulani Maluleke of Polokwane City during the Absa Premiership 2017/18 football match between Polokwane City and Kaizer Chiefs at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on 31 October 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Nov 21, 2017. 04:59

Polokwane City will look to keep up their solid recent form in the Absa Premiership when they host Maritzburg United at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on 22 November 2017, kick-off at 19h30.

Polokwane extended their unbeaten run in the league to four matches with a goalless draw at home to Kaizer Chiefs on October 31. The Limpopo side may have won just twice so far this season, but they are still managing to accumulate points.

However, Rise and Shine have yet to win at home in this campaign, claiming just three points from five matches as hosts. Coach Bernard Molekwa will see this match as a chance to register a first win in the Limpopo province in 2017/18.

Maritzburg suffered a 1-0 loss away to Bloemfontein Celtic on October 31 to bring up a sixth successive league match without a win, and the KwaZulu-Natal club now finds itself hovering in the lower reaches of the log table.

Coach Fadlu Davids will want to see his charges return to winning form and the Team of Choice have performed respectably away from home this season, picking up one win, two draws and just one defeat from their four matches on the road.

In head-to-head stats, Polokwane and Maritzburg have met in eight league matches since 2013/14. Rise and Shine have claimed four wins compared to two for the Team of Choice, while two matches have been drawn. City boast an unbeaten home record against United, with two wins and two draws from four turns as hosts.

Last season Polokwane took four points off Maritzburg, winning 1-0 in their away match in KwaZulu-Natal, before playing out a 1-1 draw in the return game. Rise and Shine are unbeaten in their last five league matches against the Team of Choice, a sequence which includes four wins.

Polokwane’s line-up from their 0-0 draw with Kaizer Chiefs on October 31: Chigova, Semenya, Ravhuhali, Mbonani, Maponyane, Seabi, Phiri (Vilakazi 84'), Klaas (Mngomezulu 81'), Ramagalela, Maluleke, Ndou.

Maritzburg’s line-up from their 1-0 loss to Celtic on October 31: Ofori, Onyango (Sanoka 46’), Fransman, Xulu, Ndlovu, Mokate, Maboe, Shandu, Atouba (van Wyk 46’), Saal, Rusike (Mekoa 74’).