Absa Premiership action resumes
After the international break, the the Absa Premiership is back this weekend as the penultimate round of fixtures for 2015 are played across the country.
There are seven fixtures in total to be played over Saturday and Sunday with only Orlando Pirates and University of Pretoria not featuring. This is due to the Buccaneers’ involvement in the CAF Confederation Cup final – the first leg of which will be played against Etoile du Sahel on Saturday.
But the remaining 14 teams will all be gunning a strong finish to the year following the latest international break.
The top two are both at home, with leaders Bidvest Wits out to consolidate their three point lead over Mamelodi Sundowns when they welcome Lamontville Golden Arrows to the Bidvest Stadium.
The Students have 23 points from 10 games and were also crowned Q-Innovation Quarter One winners recently. Their coach Gavin Hunt has hailed their progress this season, admitting they have one of the better defences. However he has questioned their attack, which he says is second best compared to Sundowns.
“I think we got a very good squad of players,” Hunt said. “I think there is a good work ethic, good versatility. We still lacking in one area and we all know what it is. Sundowns for me got the best attack in the league, there is no doubt about that. We’ve got the best defence in the league and there is no doubt about that.”
Opponents Arrows have been one of the stories of the campaign thus far and presently sit seventh on the table with a game in hand. That is six points behind Sundowns, who entertain 11th-placed Free State Stars at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday night.
Pitso Mosimane’s men are one of the form teams in South Africa and reached the Telkom Knockout final a few weeks earlier.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Ajax Cape Town in ninth host a resurgent SuperSport United at the Athlone Stadium.
The Urban Warriors are yet to win a game since winning the MTN8 final in September five matches ago and coach Roger da Sa is keen for a turnaround against Matsatsantsa.
“We need to get back to winning ways,” the Ajax boss said. “It’s been tough for us since the cup final, for various reasons. We need to take our chances and make this one count to get ourselves back on track.”
In other games, basement club Maritzburg United will be looking to build on their first victory of the season last time out against Tuks when they take on the defending champions Kaizer Chiefs at Harry Gwala Stadium.
The result snapped an eight-match losing streak. On Saturday, they will come up against former coach Steve Komphela, who has lead Amakhosi to fifth.
Platinum Stars, who are a place behind in sixth and lost for the first time this season in their last game, travel to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium to play Polokwane City.
There are two games on Sunday, with sixth hosting third as Bloemfontein Celtic entertain Mpumalanga Black Aces at Dr Molemela Stadium.
Finally, Jomo Cosmos welcome Chippa United to Olen Park in Potchefstroom.
ANA