Absa Premiership
Teams: Golden Arrows v Maritzburg United
Date: 4 August 2019
Venue: Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium
Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United will open their 2019/20 Absa Premiership campaigns with a KwaZulu-Natal derby at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Sunday.
The match is scheduled to get underway at 15h00.
Arrows ended last season with a 1-0 loss at home to Bidvest Wits on May 11, a result which saw them end in 10th place on the log. They recorded eight wins, 12 draws and 10 defeats for a haul of 36 points.
Maritzburg ended last season with a 1-1 draw away to Baroka FC, a result which saw them finish second from bottom on the log.
They entered the promotion playoffs and ended top of the mini league ahead of Royal Eagles and Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila to ensure top-flight football for 2019/20.
In head-to-head stats, Arrows and Maritzburg have met in 24 league matches since 2005/06. Abafana Bes'thende have claimed 12 wins compared to five for the Team of Choice, while seven matches have been drawn.
Last season Arrows completed a league 'double' over United, winning 2-0 in Pietermaritzburg in August 2018 and 2-0 in Durban in January 2019 – Zimbabwean forward Knox Mutizwa scored a goal in each match, and has netted three times in the last five meetings of the teams.
Here is how they line-up.
Arrows: 30 Sibanda, 13 Lunga, 20 Mathiane, 28 Bilankulu, 14 S Dube, 35 Mtshali, 4 Venter, 5 Shitolo, 15 Makhubela, 8 Sabelo, 33 Gumede.
Subs: 1 Mbaeva, 23 L Dube, 26 Phiri, 2 Nkombelo, Lamola, 18 Mutizwa, 7 Matloga
Maritzburg: 31 Ofori, 25 Xulu, 4 Allie, 15 Ntshangase, 23 De Reuck, 36 Kunene, 6 Timm, 17 Claasen, 20 Moseamedi, 12 Nyoni, 26 Shandu.
Subs: 30 Mpandle, 45 Mngonyama, 28 Mekoa, 8 Buchanan, 21 Hlongwane, 7 Kutumela, 16 Sangweni.
