The Chatsworth Stadium will see Royal AM and SuperSport United do battle in the DStv Premiership on Saturday afternoon, in what will be one of the most interesting games in the latest round of league fixtures.
Kick-off is at 3:30pm (SA, GMT +2)
With the Nedbank Cup concluding its Round of 32 recently, Royal AM are currently off the back of a tough 4-3 penalty win against Cape Town City in the popular cup competition.
The win meant that Royal AM are currently on a two-match winning streak and head into the SSU game with an injection of confidence. Prior to the last two wins in all competitions, Royal AM recorded just one victory in seven league appearances.
Royal AM are currently in ninth place on the table, accumulating 24 points from 19 DStv Premiership games so far. As the hosts, Royal AM recorded two wins, two draws and one defeat in their last five matches at the Royal Chatsworth Stadium.
Reflecting on their dramatic penalty win over Cape Town City in the Nedbank Cup, Maduka praised his side’s character in facing a highly offensive team.
“Yes, you know, good to see the team win and go to the last 16,” Maduka said.
“Not an easy game, very difficult game. Like I said in the pre-match interview, they are a team that’s very offensive.
“We knew that they would take the game to us, but I still believe the boys showed character.
“We managed to defend them, of course there were moments, chances that they missed but we strongly believed we showed character in the game.
It can be said that Gavin Hunt has been one of the most talked about coaches in the local game in the last week, especially after his side’s shock 2-1 defeat to Dondol Stars in the Nedbank Cup.
A game in which Hunt took the time to undergo a few experiments, such as utlising Thamsanqa Gabuza as a centre-back, it did not go according to plan for the Tshwane giants.
Following the loss, SSU found themselves with just one win to their name in their last six games in all competitions. In the league, Matsatsantsa’s form sheet has a reading of two losses, two draws and one defeat in the last handful of games.
Speaking after their loss to Dondol Stars, Hunt mentioned that missed opportunities was his side’s biggest flaw in the game.
“When you don’t score against these teams, you are going to struggle,” Hunt said.
“We had so many opportunities, you don’t score and they get a bit of wind in their sails. Fair play to them, credit to them, every ball was bobbling and bouncing straight to them.
“Well done to them, we had a lot of opportunities and we didn’t take any of them.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Royal AM
Thabo Matlaba: Fondly known as ‘Festival’ in local football circles, Matlaba is one of Royal AM’s most experienced campaigners. The left-back has been a regular this season and will be tasked to guide his team, whether it be from defensive or offensive situations.
Shamrock Kobedi: As an anchor in midfield, Kobedi plays a crucial role in how Royal AM go about their business on the pitch. With Hunt known for playing direct football, winning the second ball in the middle of the pitch will be one of Kobedi’s duties.
SuperSport United:
Zukile Kewuti: With Royal AM being a team who enjoy holding the ball in the middle of the park, Kewuti’s navigation in midfield will be vital for SuperSport throughout the 90 minutes. Kewuti will also be relied upon in screening his team’s backline, especially against Royal AM’s energetic frontline.
Zakhele Lepasa: The 26-year-old featured for Hunt in their recent cup loss, and should he be roped in against Royal, Lepasa will likely play an assisting role to the main striker. Also, Lepasa’s trickery and movement could be a problem for the opposition defenders.