With the top three clubs having booked their spot in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, it is now time to shift their focus back to the DStv Premiership title race. The log leaders are on the brink of lifting their seventh consecutive league title while second-place Stellenbosch FC continues to stay on the winning lane which has stretched their unbeaten run to 21 wins. Orlando Pirates who are currently third on the log will take on AmaZulu for the second time in a week, we look to see if they can pull off another win.
Here is this week’s DStv Premiership preview and predictions:
Saturday April 20
13/10 Golden Arrows | Draw 2/1 | Royal AM 2/1 (15:00)
Buoyed by a 7-1 hammering at the hands of Orlando Pirates, Abafana Bes’thende will be out for redemption when they take on their KwaZulu-Natal rivals Royal AM. Prior to the game against Pirates, Arrows coach looked to have turned the tide after the club’s string of bad results with back-to-back wins as well as a loss. A win in this match will see them getting back in the top eight.
Royal AM experienced no problems when they dispatched Polokwane City 3-1, they will be looking to stay on the winning lane to be able to clear off the drop zone. This is one of the most unpredictable games of this week, I see it ending in a draw as both teams are expected to pull out all the stops to bag all three points. BTTS is the way to go here.
8/10 Orlando Pirates | Draw 22/10 | AmaZulu 33/10 (16:00)
In what will seem like a Nedbank Cup rematch, Pirates will face Usuthu after a hard-fought 4-2 victory which saw them take a step closer towards defending their trophy. This is a must win game for them to stand a chance of qualifying for CAF Champions League.
Revenge will be on the minds of AmaZulu when they take on the Sea Robbers in a league match. They played impressive football and are capable of shocking them in this rematch. Hendrick Ekstein who opened the scoring in their Nedbank Cup encounter is expected to trouble Pirates defence. Pirates win and BTTS.
4/10 Sekhukhune United | Draw 3/1 | Cape Town Spurs 6/1 (16:00)
Babina Noko have been enjoying fine form which has seen them climb to the fourth spot on the log. They are in a good position to qualify for the CAF Confederations Cup next season. They are the stronger side in this clash and are the favourites to win this match. Spurs are facing an uphill and with relegation looming, they will need to pull out all the stops for a victory. Back the home win here.
13/10 SuperSport United | Draw 2/1 | Chippa United 2/1 (19:00)
Amantsatsatsa will be aiming to recover from two consecutive losses including a 4-0 defeat against Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup. They have conceded seven goals and scored two in their last three games. Gavin Hunt will need to get back to the drawing board and find a winning formula. They failed to impress in their mid-week clash when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Polokwane City at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
The Chilli boys recently recorded two massive victories, they defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-0 and that was followed by another 2-0 win against TS Galaxy in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, it will be interesting to see if they can stay on the winning lane and finish the season on a high note. Chippa United to win.
Sunday April 21
16/10 Polokwane City | Draw 2/1 | Cape Town City FC 16/10 (15:00)
Rise and Shine have been suffering from a lacklustre performance lately, they have lost three out of their last five league matches, one tie ended in a loss and the other ended in a draw. Their recent encounter which was against Royal AM ended in a 3-1 loss. They face a daunting task of overcoming one of the strongest teams in the league.
The wounded Cape Town City have gone eight matches in all competitions without a win, their last win was against Cape Town Spurs on 31 December. They have dropped to the 7th place and if their poor performance continues, they will find themselves in the bottom half of the log. BTTS and CT City win.
2/1 Richards Bay | Draw 2/1 | Kaizer Chiefs 13/10 (15:00)
The Natal Rich Boyz showed character when they edged Moroka Swallows 1-0 in their effort to escape relegation. They are currently 15th on the log with 17 points, two points above bottom of the log Cape Town Spurs and eight points below Moroka Swallows who are 14th on the log standings. They are desperate for a win to be able to stand a chance of surviving the drop.
Amakhosi woes continued when they suffered a 2-0 loss against Chippa United in their recent match. They have now lost three out of their four recent games and will need to regroup and start collecting points to be able to finish in the top eight. Back Chiefs to win.
15/10 TS Galaxy | Draw 2/1 | Stellenbosch FC 17/10 (16:00)
Having been knocked out of the Nedbank Cup, The Rockets will shift their focus back into the league where they have been enjoying an impressive run of three back-to-back wins which has seen them scoring six goals and keeping clean sheets across all three games. The combination of Samir Nurkovic, Lehlogonolo Mojela and Mpho Mvelase has been paying off for Sead Ramovic’s side. They face a tough task of ending the Stellies’ 21 match unbeaten run.
The Cape Winelands side experienced no problems when they dispatched SuperSport United 4-0, they will be looking to reduce the wide gap between them and Mamelodi Sundowns while also booking a spot in the Champions League. This is expected to be an exciting encounter as both sides are known for excellent attacking football. I see Stellenbosch winning this one.
Written by Siphesihle Soni