Another truncated round of Betway Premiership action this weekend will be headlined by Magesi FC looking to end their winless drought, while heavyweights Kaizer Chiefs will be out to build momentum.
Magesi get the weekend going on Saturday afternoon when they welcome AmaZulu FC to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium. Dikwena tsa Meetse stunned everyone with their triumph over Mamelodi Sundowns in the Carling Knockout final in late November, but they have failed to win any of their six matches since – though they at least broke their losing run by holding TS Galaxy 0-0 last weekend.
Coach Owen Da Gama, who has been in the hot seat for less than two weeks, will target this clash against AmaZulu (who are winless in two matches, and beaten 2-0 at home by Sekhukhune United in midweek) as a chance to rise off the foot of the table, with fellow strugglers Royal AM and Richards Bay not in action this weekend.
“It’s just a phase, you know in football you’ve got the highs and the lows,” explained Magesi goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.
“I remember last season when we were in the Motsepe Foundation [Championship, second tier], when we got to December we struggled in some games, and I feel like history is repeating itself.”
Saturday will also feature Marumo Gallants looking to break a four-game winless run when they welcome Cape Town City to the Dr. Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein.
City, under returning coach Muhsin Ertugral, have registered successive 1-0 wins over the Soweto giants, defeating Chiefs last weekend and Orlando Pirates in midweek – the latter result put a dent in the Buccaneers’ title ambitions, and prevented them from claiming top spot on the log.
On Sunday afternoon, Kaizer Chiefs will host Golden Arrows (winless in three matches) at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Chiefs bounced back in midweek with a 2-1 home win over Stellenbosch FC and if they are to build on that success, then they will need to register back-to-back wins for just the second time this season – the first was in the opening two rounds of the campaign when they defeated Marumo Gallants and AmaZulu.
“It's not easy against such a good team like Stellenbosch to come from behind and score two, that requires character and that's what we feel we had today, and credit goes to the players,” said Amakhosi coach Nasreddine Nabi.
The weekend’s action closes out on Sunday evening at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, as SuperSport United have their first match of the New Year by hosting Sekhukhune United.
Matsatsantsa are unbeaten in their last three outings, while Babina Noko (who beat AmaZulu in midweek) have taken 10 points from the last 12 available.
SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt remains a hard taskmaster and will demand a three-point haul from his players: “All in all, are we happy? No, but we are playing well and look better as a team.”
Betway Premiership weekend fixtures
Times CAT
Saturday 11 January
Chippa United v Royal AM – Postponed
3:30pm: Magesi FC v AmaZulu FC
3:30pm: Marumo Gallants v Cape Town City
Sunday 12 January
3:30pm: Kaizer Chiefs v Golden Arrows
5:45pm: SuperSport United v Sekhukhune United