Polokwane in search of first home win

Polokwane in search of first home win
Elias Pelembe of Bidvest Wits shields ball from Simphiwe Hlongwane of Polokwane City during the 2016/17 Absa Premiership football match between Bidvest Wits and Polokwane City at Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg on 17 May 2017 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Dec 08, 2017. 10:34

Polokwane City will go in search of a first home win in the Absa Premiership this season when they host Bidvest Wits at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on 9 December 2017, kick-off at 15h30.

City have gone four league matches without a win after they were beaten 1-0 at home by Platinum Stars on December 6. The Polokwane side’s last victory in the top flight was 3-2 at AmaZulu back in mid-October, and they have failed to score in their last three successive matches.

Rise and Shine have failed to win any of their seven home league matches in this campaign, picking up just four points from a possible 21 in Polokwane. Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars and Platinum Stars have all beaten City in their own back yard.

Wits remained bottom of the log after they could only draw 0-0 at home to Ajax Cape Town on December 6 - a fourth successive winless match for the defending champions, who have also failed to score in that sequence.

The Clever Boys have taken six points from as many away matches this season and their last victory in the league came on the road, as they defeated Baroka FC 1-0 in Limpopo back in October.

In head-to-head stats, Polokwane and Wits have met in eight league matches since 2013/14. The Clever Boys have claimed four wins compared to one for Rise and Shine, while three matches have been drawn. The Limpopo side has yet to win a home match against the Johannesburg club, with two draws and two losses from four games as hosts.

Last season Wits took four points off Polokwane, holding them 0-0 in Limpopo in the first half of the campaign, before claiming a 2-0 win at home in the return game in Johannesburg. The Clever Boys are unbeaten in their last five matches against Rise and Shine, scoring nine goals and conceding just one in the process.

Polokwane’s line-up from their 1-0 loss to Stars on December 6: Chigova, Maponyane, Tshilo, Semenya, Hlongwane, Seabi, W. Maluleke, J. Maluleke (Musona 64’), Ndou, Tlolane, Ramagalela.

Wits’ line-up from their 0-0 draw with Ajax on December 6: Keet, Hlanti, Hlatshwayo, Mkhwanazi, Frosler, Scott, Claasen (Monare 46'), Motshwari, Pule (Klate 60'), Mhango (Keene 70'), Gamal.





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