After a short break for an entertaining MTN8 final, the ABSA Premiership returns! The Soccer Pro provided you with five winners last time out and I’m certain to go better this weekend providing you with great profit instead of counting down the days to payday.
Bidvest Wits 5/10 draw 5/2 AmaZulu 6/1
Wits and AmaZulu get the PSL back underway on Friday night. Wits are coming off a 1-0 loss away to Orlando Pirates but are firm favourites at home – where they have done well – against the bottom of the log side. The Clever Boys are unbeaten from their three home games thus far, racking up two wins and scoring five goals while staying solid by conceding just once. AmaZulu are the only team in the league without a win. Wits have beaten AmaZulu in the last two meetings and should make it three here.
Free State Stars 12/10 draw 21/10 Swallows 22/10
Free State Stars will host Moroka Swallows on Saturday afternoon as both sides look to bounce back from losses last time out. Free State Stars suffered their third defeat, losing 2-1 away to Ajax. Prior to that match Stars were on a good run claiming seven points from three matches. Swallows went down 2-0 to Chippa, marking their third loss but sit in seventh spot after managing three wins from their six matches. Swallows have dominated previous head-to-head encounters winning 12 of the 16 meetings, losing just twice. Free State Stars have been inconsistent at home and the draw looks the way to go.
Black Aces 27/10 draw 21/10 Ajax Cape Town 1/1
Black Aces will host the in-form Ajax Cape Town who sit second on the log with four wins and two draws. Aces have managed to get some points on the board of late after a bad start to the league. They managed a 2-1 win over SuperSport three games ago and then followed that up with two goalless draws. Promising form considering they have capable strikers Tendai Ndoro and Collins Mbesuma who could complement their good defence against Ajax. Ajax have a young team and it’s surely a matter of time before they taste defeat. Aces managed a 2-0 win against Ajax in the league back in May and could do similar here.
Chippa 33/10 draw 23/10 Orlando Pirates 8/10
Chippa can count themselves unlucky when they face an Orlando Pirates side fresh off a cup final defeat to their rivals. Pirates will be out for blood. Chippa have been inconsistent at home while Pirates have scored eight goals on the road in three matches, conceding just twice. Pirates have won three matches in a row in the league and won their last two away games 3-0. The away win is tipped.
Kaizer Chiefs 11/20 draw 28/10 Maritzburg 9/2
The MTN8 champions are looking invincible this season. AmaKhosi have a 100% win record in the league and also won all four MTN8 matches. That’s 10 wins from 10 matches and what’s even more impressive is that they have conceded just two goals in those games, scoring 20 goals. Maritzburg earned only a draw at home to Black Aces last time out and are yet to win on the road. Chiefs won this fixture 2-0 last season and are firm favourites to do it again.
SuperSport 9/10 draw 22/10 Bloemfontein Celtic 29/10
Gordon Igesund got off to winning start in his first game in charge of SuperSport United as Matsatsantsa came back from a goal down to beat Platinum Stars 3-1 at home. Bloem Celtic were beaten 1-0 at home by champions Sundowns. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Igesund work his magic and transform this SuperSport team into a title challenger this season. Both encounters between these sides ended in 1-1 draws last season. SuperSport are tipped to edge the win this time around.
Platinum Stars 9/10 draw 21/10 University of Pretoria 3/1
Two of quite a few teams who are finding scoring goals hard to come by will clash looking to make up for their under par performances. Platinum Stars’ recent form reads LOL (Loss, Draw, Loss). Losses against Chiefs and SuperSport and only a draw at home to Celtic besides being demolished by Chiefs in the MTN8, Dikwena need three points. They couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity as they host one of last season’s poorest travellers. AmaTuks lost 10 of their 15 away games last season, scoring only 6 goals in 15 games and conceding 16. Unsurprisingly, University of Pretoria’s recent form also reads LOL but it’s more likely that will lead to LOLL. Back Platinum Stars.
Polokwane 4/1 draw 23/10 Mamelodi Sundowns 7/10
League champions Mamelodi Sundowns are getting back to their best and have a perfect chance to add to their good form when they clash minnows Polokwane City. After losing four matches in a row Polokwane earned a point at home to AmaZulu in their last match. Their defence have failed to keep the goals out, conceding 12 goals – the most in the league. Sundowns have won three of their last four matches and they look a confident bet here.
Written by Wayde Dorkin
Soccer Pro’s Picks
Wits WIN5/10
FS Stars DRAW21/10
Black Aces WIN27/10
Pirates WIN8/10
Chiefs WIN11/20
SuperSport WIN9/10
Platinum WIN9/10
Sundowns WIN 7/10