SuperSport desperate to get back to form

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Feb 02, 2018. 09:11

SuperSport United will be desperate to get back to form in the Absa Premiership when they host Bloemfontein Celtic at Lucas Moripe Stadium on 3 February 2018, kick-off at 15h30.

SuperSport suffered a second successive loss when they were beaten 1-0 at home by AmaZulu on January 31. The Tshwane side has managed just one win in their last 13 league matches, claiming eight points from a possible 39 in the sequence.

Matsatsantsa have claimed just 13 points from 10 home matches this season. Their last victory as hosts arrived back in late November when they defeated Ajax Cape Town 1-0.

Celtic saw their winless run in the league extended to four matches after they were held 1-1 at home by Cape Town City on January 28. The Bloemfontein side has won just once since the turn of the year: their first game in 2018 which brought a 2-1 home victory against Golden Arrows.

Phunya Sele Sele have claimed just 10 points from as many away matches this season, with their last win on the road coming back in October last year when they defeated City 1-0 in Cape Town.

In head-to-head stats, Celtic and SuperSport have met in 48 league matches since 1990. Each side has claimed 11 wins in the rivalry, while no less than 26 matches have ended in draws. Matsatsantsa have won seven of their 23 home league matches against Phunya Sele Sele, suffering five defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season they played out a 1-1 draw in Bloemfontein, with goals from Victor Letsoalo and Darren Smith. SuperSport and Celtic have played to five successive league draws against each other, while their last six meetings have produced just seven goals.

SuperSport’s line-up from their 1-0 loss to AmaZulu on January 31: Pieterse, Kekana, Gould, Daniels, Boateng, Phala (Webber 76’), Furman, Letsholonyane, Modiba (Ngele 60’), Nkhatha (Mbule 80’), Rusike.

Celtic’s line-up from their 1-1 draw with City on January 28: Tignyemb, Pfumbidzai, Rikhotso, Motshegwa, Lubisi, Mabena, Gordinho, Baloyi, Hotto, Shikweni (Nyundu 54’), Letsoalo (Masuku 80’).