Stars desperate to revive survival hopes

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Apr 03, 2018. 15:00

Platinum Stars will be desperate to revive their survival hopes in the Absa Premiership when they host Baroka FC at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on 4 April 2018, kick-off at 19h30.

Stars suffered a third successive defeat and 13th overall in the league this season after they were beaten 1-0 at Bloemfontein Celtic on March 18. The Rustenburg side has yet to win a league game since the turn of the year.

Dikwena have claimed just six points from 11 home matches this season, with their last game as hosts ending in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Free State Stars in early March.

Baroka extended their unbeaten run in the league to four matches by playing to a 1-1 draw away to Bidvest Wits on March 2. The Limpopo side has picked up six points from a possible 12 in the sequence.

Bakgaga have claimed 14 points from 12 away matches this season, though they haven’t won on the road since beating Kaizer Chiefs in late September 2017.

In head-to-head stats, Stars and Baroka have met in three matches since the start of last season. Bakgaga have an unbeaten record in the sequence, with one win and two draws. The teams last met in November 2017 in Polokwane and played to a 2-2 draw.

Stars’ line-up from their 1-0 loss to Celtic on March 18: Mzimela, Mere, Mthethwa, Sithole, Mpeta (Koapeng 82’), Baloyi (Ntuli 60’), Mekoa, Gcaba (De Jongh 49’), Norodien, Ngambi, Phiri.

Baroka’s line-up from their 1-1 draw with Wits on March 2: Dalmini, Banda, Chawapiwa (Sodi 88’), Kgaswane.Kgoetyane, Madubanya, Mdatsane, Mohwatseleng, Mothupa, Motupa (Mapheto 90’), Ngalande (Mosele 79’).