Pirates within reach of Champions League spot

As the tense battle for the coveted runner’s-up spot in the Premiership heads into the final straight the race could well be settled over the next few days as all three contenders are involved in important games between Sunday and next Wednesday. 

If Orlando Pirates continue their recent seven-game winning run in league and cup competitions they may well be within touching distance of the second Champions League spot before they face Kaizer Chiefs in the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup next Saturday. 

Six points for Pirates from games against TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday (kickoff 3pm) and against Royal AM at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday (kickoff 7.30pm) will leave them needing just two points from their last two games to be out of Amakhosi’s reach, provided the latter win their games against Chippa United and Swallows FC.  

Jose Riveiro’s side will fancy their chances of victory against Galaxy who have won only three of their 13 home games in the league thus far this season — against SuperSport United, Golden Arrows and Richards Bay, though Pirates will be wary of their 1-0 defeat against The Rockets at the Mbombela Stadium in the penultimate game of the last campaign.  

The odds are heavily stacked in favour of a Pirates victory over a Royal AM side that has won only one of their past 10 league games on the road.  

SuperSport United, who are best placed to pip the Buccaneers to the Champions League spot, will seek to continue their impressive unbeaten home run in the league when they host Stellenbosch FC at their new temporary home at the Tshwane University of Technology on Tuesday (kickoff 5.30pm). 

Gavin Hunt’s side, who have only dropped points through four draws in their previous 13 home league games, will have their task eased somewhat due to the absence of Stellies striker Iqraam Rayners who has been in red-hot form since returning to the club from Matsatsantsa at the end of January. 

The 27-year-old, who is precluded from playing against his former club in terms of a clause in the transfer contract, has scored seven of the 12 goals Stellies have netted in the seven games he has played in his second spell with the club — so his absence will no doubt leave a gaping hole in Steve Barker’s striking department.  

Kaizer Chiefs, who on Thursday had to negotiate a tricky away game against a desperate Chippa United that is in dire need of points in their battle against relegation, have another encounter with a relegation threatened side in Swallows FC who they host at Polokwane’s Peter Mokaba Stadium on Monday (kickoff 3pm).  

Picking up only one point in their previous two games against Marumo Gallants and Sekhukhune United has left Arthur Zwane’s side banking on favours from other teams while leaving themselves with no margin for error in their remaining games.   

At the other end of the table AmaZulu, despite their 13th place on the table, are just three points above the relegation zone with the emergency lights flickering.

They will be hoping to end a winless run of four games (three losses and a draw) when they host a Sekhukhune side that has blossomed under Brandon Truter who no doubt will want to prove a point to his former employers who fired him last October after a brief five-month spell with Usuthu. That clash takes place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (kickoff 8pm).