SuperSport chase hat-trick of league wins

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Feb 18, 2019. 15:00

SuperSport United will chase a hat-trick of Absa Premiership wins when they host Orlando Pirates at Mbombela Stadium on 20 February 2019, kick-off at 19h30.

SuperSport claimed a second successive victory when they defeated Golden Arrows 3-2 away on February 10, with Teboho Mokoena scoring a late winner.

Matsatsantsa have claimed 16 points from eight home matches this season, with their last result as hosts a 2-1 win over Bloemfontein Celtic on January 20.

Pirates were last in league action on February 9 when they played to a 1-1 draw away to Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs. The result extended their unbeaten run in the Premiership to 15 matches.

The Buccaneers have claimed 19 points from 10 away matches this season, with their only defeat on the road coming at Bloemfontein Celtic in August 2018.

In head-to-head stats, Pirates and SuperSport have met in 55 league matches since 1990. The Buccaneers have claimed 23 wins compared to 17 for Matsatsantsa, while 15 matches have been drawn. The Tshwane side has won 11 of their 27 home league matches against their Soweto counterparts, suffering 10 defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season, at Orlando Stadium in mid-September 2018, Pirates claimed a 3-1 win thanks to goals from Vincent Pule, Thembinkosi Lorch and Ben Motshwari. The result broke a six-game league winless streak in the rivalry for the Buccaneers.

SuperSport’s line-up from their 3-2 win over Arrows on February 10: Williams, Nhlapo, Daniels, Mutale, Bhasera, Furman, Mokoena, Modiba (Lebese 68'), Macuphu, Rusike (Keene 70'), Grobler (Kekana 63').

Pirates’ line-up from their 1-1 draw with Chiefs on February 9: Sandilands, Mbekile, Jele, Ndengane, Maela, Motshwari, Nyatama (Mulenga 61’), Mlambo (Makola 69’), Lorch, Shonga (Munetsi 86’), Pule.