Orlando Pirates will have a quick turnaround as their perfect start in the Betway Premiership will be on the line when they host AmaZulu on Friday evening at Orlando Stadium.
Betway Premiership
Teams: Orlando Pirates v AmaZulu
Date: 25 October 2024
Venue: Orlando Stadium
Time: 19h30
Pirates extended their 100 percent winning record to four matches after beating SuperSport United 2-0 on Tuesday thanks to goals by Evidence Makgopa and Deon Hotto, as they also bounced back from a cup defeat by Magesi.
Jose Riveiro's charges are second in the standings, equal on points and on goal difference with leaders Mamelodi Sundowns but are edged on goals scored by Sundowns.
AmaZulu, on the other hand, had a losing start under new co-coaches Arthur Zwane and Vusumuzi Vilakazi after going down 2-1 in extra-time against Stellenbosch in the Carling Knockout.
Zwane and Vilakazi will be hoping to turn things around in their first league game, as they inherited a team that lost all three of the Premiership matches, the last of which was a 1-0 defeat against Marumo Gallants.
Usuthu, as a result, are languishing bottom of the table with zero points, although they have a game in hand.
The Soweto giants took four points off the KwaZulu-Natal outfit in their meetings last season, as after a goalless draw in Durban, Pirates won the reverse 1-0 on home soil thanks to a late goal by Tshegofatso Mabasa, after AmaZulu were reduced to ten men following the red-card of Abbubaker Mobara in the first stanza.
Here's how they line up:
Orlando Pirates: 24. Chaine, 3. Van Rooyen, 5. Sibisi, 36. Sesane, 7. Hotto, 8. Makhaula, 16. Mbatha, 33. Nkota, 28. Maswanganyi, 38. Mofokeng, 17. Makgopa.
Subs: 35. Buthelezi, 23. Maela, 29, Mako, 15. Ndlondlo, 31. Rasebotja, 25. Kimvuidi, 32. Moleleki, 11. Gilberto, 9. Mabasa
AmaZulu: 50. Ofori, 5. Sikhakhane, 4. Hanamub, 12. Fielies, 26. Jooste, 2. Mobara, 8. Motshwari, 18. Brooks, 9. Ighodaro, 19. Moremi, 29. Haba
Subs: 44. Mothwa, 25. Ngobeni, 45. Mngonyama, 17. Gumede, 27. Ekstein, 21. Human, 37. Sithole, 16. Mbanjwa, 33. Dion
