Cape Town City is desperate for a win and will welcome Orlando Pirates in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday afternoon at Cape Town Stadium. The Citizens are at home looking to secure their first win in 2024 and meeting an in-form Pirates will be a daunting task for them. City have been misfiring since the start of the year.
Coach Eric Tinkler is a worried man as his men are struggling despite scoring goals but their failure to protect their leads is cause for concern. Meanwhile, the Soweto giants are enjoying a fine run and are heading to the Mother City looking to bag yet another win at the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosting venue. Pirates, however, will be without injured defender Thabiso Lebitso who has a broken collar bone and will miss the match.
The Soweto giants are also looking to cement their place as number two on the log table, they are battling it out against Stellenbosch FC who are also looking to finish on a high.
CT City vs Pirates Match Details:
- Date: May 01, 2024
- Time: 3:00 PM SAST
- Venue: Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
CT City: The Mother City-based outfit is still bemoaning the 2-2 draw against Golden Arrows after taking the lead in the clash. City are also fresh from a draw against Polokwane City and a defeat to AmaZulu. Sitting at number six with 35 points doesn’t bode well for the club as Tinkler was also eyeing a spot in CAF continental tournaments.
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Pirates: The Soweto giants are confident having drubbed Royal AM, and beat AmaZulu 4-2 in the Nedbank Cup and 1-0 in the league. Jose Riveiro will rally behind his troops to keep rolling as they target a spot and a return to the Champions League. The Buccaneers sit third on the log table with 43 points from 25 games.
CT City vs Pirates Key Battles To Watch:
Innocent Maela vs Thabiso Kutumela: Maela is key for the visiting Pirates and he has leadership abilities and ability to initiate attacks from the back. The Bafana Bafana defender will guide the back three to stop the likes of Kutumela. The former Mamelodi Sundowns striker, Kutumela is enjoying life in the Mother City and will look to score on the day.
Marc Van Heerden vs Relebohile Mofokeng: A former Pirates defender himself, Van Heerden has a big task on Workers Day. He must be alert to stop all the attacks by the likes of Mofokeng on the left flank. Tinkler will also count on him to bring his left foot and convert their set pieces. Mofokeng was on target against Royal AM and his mission is to keep the momentum and impress the Ghost.
CT City vs Pirates Head-to-Head:
According to previous records, Pirates have the advantage as they have 11 wins out of their 29 meetings. The other 11 matches ended in a draw while the Citizens have seven wins next to their name.
CT City vs Pirates Coaches:
Eric Tinkler: The former Bafana Bafana midfielder and Pirates mentor is one of the most gifted mentors in the league. His mission is to finish inside the top eight and facing his ex-employers will inspire him and his troops. Tinkler will just need to sharpen his attack while ensuring that they close the back door.
Jose Riveiro: The Spaniard is a serial cup winner but the league crown continues to evade him. Riveiro’s men are on a roll as they have three wins in a row and they are not only winning but scoring more goals too. They have scored 16 in four games. The Soweto-based giants head to the Mother city chasing another victory to cement their second spot.
CT City vs Pirates What The Teams Said:
Jose Riveiro: “Our focus is on ourselves. We must win every remaining game until the end. We can’t control what our opponents do. They (Stellenbosch) have their matches to play. We try to concentrate on what we can control. Our performance and our next opponents, now we travel to Cape Town to face City on Wednesday and it is going to be key in collecting three points again because the top of the table is very tight.
“We have a lot of talent in the team… the front four is not exceptional, obviously. Right now, we are in the moment where the ball is getting into the net.”
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CT City vs Pirates Fan Sentiments:
The fans in the Mother City are always hungry for the game of football especially when the big guns come to the city. There’s no doubt that Pirates fans head to this clash hoping for another win.
CT City vs Pirates Prediction:
Based on previous results and current form, the Buccaneers are favourites to clinch yet another win away from home. However, a desperate City cannot be ruled out.
CT City vs Pirates What’s Next:
The Sea Robbers are still chasing for the Nedbank Cup title and will meet Chippa United in the semi-finals on Saturday in Gqeberha. On the other hand, the Citizens will take a breather and return to meet Moroka Swallows on Tuesday next week.
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