Orlando Pirates will face Richards Bay at the Mhlathuze Sports Complex in a pivotal Betway Premiership encounter, as they aim to keep up the pressure on reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Buccaneers head into the clash brimming with confidence after back-to-back emphatic victories that boosted their goal difference – a 6-0 thrashing of TS Galaxy away from home, followed by a 5-0 win over Golden Arrows at the Orlando Amstel Arena.
With 11 goals in their last two matches, Pirates have established themselves as one of the most potent attacking teams in the league.
Having already secured a 2-0 win over the Natal Rich Boyz earlier in the season, they will be eager to complete a league double- ideally with an even more dominant result.
Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has underlined the importance of being clinical in front of goal as Pirates continue their title push.
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Speaking to The Citizen, he said: “It is important for ambitious teams who are playing for the first position to score lots of goals. It gives trust and confidence, and goal difference will be very important at the end of the season. I’ve told my players that every game we need to play with strong fighting spirit until the last second. We don’t want regrets at the end of the season.”
Richards Bay, meanwhile, come into the fixture boosted by a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Stellenbosch FC, a result which ended their three-match winless run. Coach Papi Zothwane acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge but remains confident in his team’s resilience.
“It is going to be a difficult game since they are chasing the league title,” Zothwane explained in an interview on the club’s website. “For us, every time we play at home, it is not easy to beat us. They should not come here thinking they will win easily. It is going to be a tough game, and we will be ready.”