Mamelodi Sundowns, Bidvest Wits and Orlando Pirates will all be in action this weekend as the title race continues.
Pitso Mosimane's charges claimed the first spot on the log standings after a 3-2 victory against Cape Town City on Wednesday evening and are now a point ahead of Wits in the second position. However, this could change when Downs take on Bloemfontein Celtic who are a tricky side to face.
Wits, on the other hand, face the same City team that lost to the log leaders earlier this week, making this encounter a promising one as the Mother City-based club will be looking to stay closer to the pack at the top of the table. Orlando Pirates who have been dropped to third spot travel away against Golden Arrows and if history is to repeat itself, the Buccaneers will have to put up a tough fight against Abafana Bes'thende.
Former Tembisa Classic defender, David Malatule got in on the action and made his predictions on the following matches:
Match of the Week
Bidvest Wits v Cape Town City (Premier Soccer League)
Match 6 Soccer 6 Pool 2 March S6 V1 P1
League Rankings: Bidvest Wits 1st Cape Town City 4th
Useful facts: Despite the fact that sparks seem to fly whenever the two sides face off, this time around there's the added element of Bidvest Wits possibly stretching their lead at the top and Cape Town City looking to close the gap and become real contenders for the league title. The home side does not have a good record against the visitors since the latter came into existence under a new name, and it will be interesting to see how Gavin Hunt approaches this one, with the Citizens presently being one of the most dangerous sides in the league. With Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates breathing down their necks for the R10 million cheque at the end of the season, it's a must-win game for the Students. Their potent attack consisting of the likes of Lehlohonolo Majoro and Gift Motupa will look to give City all sorts of trouble, while on the other side of the field, the likes of Gift Links and Kermit Erasmus will seek to do all the damage. What a game in store!
David Malatule: Draw
Mamelodi Sundowns v Bloemfontein Celtic (Premier Soccer League)
Match 2 Soccer 6 Pool 2 March S6 V1 P1
League Rankings: Mamelodi Sundowns 2nd Bloemfontein Celtic 7th
Useful facts: Before their fixture against Cape Town City on Wednesday, Mamelodi Sundowns dropped two points when they visited Bidvest Wits, although Pitso Mosimane believes they are still on course to defend the league title. They don't come trickier than a Bloemfontein Celtic side that lost 3-0 to Free State Stars in the Free State derby on the weekend and claiming a big scalp will be a big way to bounce back for Lehlohonolo Seema's charges. Downs should be hard to beat though at home and Siwelele will have to dig deep. However, the Tshwane giants have been prone to defensive errors in recent games and a striker like Tshegofatso Mabasa will need no second chance to profit from those. Plus, he will want to put himself in the shop window against a big club, while scoring a goal or two will aid his ambition of winning the league's Golden Boot award. For a team that has been besieged by off-field issues, Celtic have done well and the Sundowns fixture will test their resolve further.
David Malatule: Draw
Golden Arrows v Orlando Pirates (Premier Soccer League)
Match 5 Soccer 6 Pool 2 March S6 V1 P1
League Rankings: Golden Arrows 10th Orlando Pirates 2nd
Useful facts: Having put four past another Durban side in AmaZulu last Saturday night, Orlando Pirates will want to continue with the momentum, but this time away from home. Golden Arrows have shown themselves to be a different beast under Steve Komphela and if complacency creeps in on the part of Bucs, they may be in for a tough evening. Abafana Bes'thende drew against Chippa in their last league encounter and will not be pleased by the fact that they are now out of the Top Eight bracket. Beating Bucs could kickstart their resurgence as the season approached the final and crucial weeks. The two teams drew 0-0 in the corresponding fixture, in October last year, while Pirates beat Arrows 1-0 in cup competition earlier this season. Goes to show matches between the two are always tough to predict.
David Malatule: Orlando Pirates win
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