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Soweto Derby: Swallows out to derail Pirates' top-two bid

football02 April 2024 17:45| © Backpage TXT
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Musa Nyatama © Gallo Images

Moroka Swallows will renew their rivalry with a wounded Orlando Pirates side in Wednesday's DStv Premiership encounter at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

Kick-off is at 7:30pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).

CURRENT FORM

The Dube Birds snapped their four-match winless run across all competitions when they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cape Town Spurs away in a league clash on 31 March.

Swallows are now placed 13th in the DStv Premiership standings - 10 points clear of the relegation zone and the Dube Birds will look to revive their ambitions of finishing in the top eight by securing a win over Pirates.

Meanwhile, Pirates saw their six-match unbeaten run across all competitions come to an end when they succumbed to a 2-1 loss to Sekhukhune United away in a league match on 30 March.

As a result, the Buccaneers are now occupying the fourth spot in the DStv Premiership standings - two points behind second-placed Stellenbosch FC and Pirates will look to revive their top-two hopes with a win over Swallows.

TEAM NEWS

Frank Mhango, who scored Swallows' winning goal against Spurs, will miss the Soweto Derby clash against his former club, Pirates, due to a one-match suspension.

Pirates, on the other hand, have no suspension concerns coming into this match, but full-backs Bandile Shandu and Paseka Mako are still out injured.

WHAT WAS SAID?

Moroka Swallows coach Musa Nyatama

''A difficult match ahead of us against Orlando Pirates. They will come at us, but we are playing at home - we should play well,'' Nyatama said.

''In terms of changes, I'm not sure, I still need to think about that. We are playing in three days' time and I do think I will freshen the team a little bit."

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro

"They [Sekhukhune United] scored two, we scored one and that's why we are going home with zero points," Riveiro said.

"That's all I can tell you. I already summarised the game in the first question and everything is there already."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Augustine Mahlonoko, Swallows: The skillful attacker, who has a point to prove against Pirates, will be relishing facing his former employers.

The Dube Birds will look to Mahlonoko to inspire the team to a win over Bucs with Mhango missing.

Tshegofatso Mabasa, Pirates: The in-form striker has netted three goals in his last two competitive matches.

Mabasa will be keen to ensure that Pirates complete a league double over Swallows as Bucs won 2-0 in the first round last December.

Head-to-Head

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2013/14 Pirates 1-0 Swallows Segolela

2014/15 Pirates 1-2 Swallows Manyisa (pen); Phalane, Chabangu

2014/15 Swallows 1-1 Pirates Nomvethe; Majoro

2020/21 Pirates 1-1 Swallows Motshwari; Mahlatsi

2020/21 Swallows 1-1 Pirates Hlatshwayo (og); Mabasa

2021/22 Pirates 1-0 Swallows Mabasa

2021/22 Swallows 1-1 Pirates Gamildien (pen); Shandu

2022/23 Pirates 1-0 Swallows Eva Nga

2022/23 Swallows 1-4 Pirates Shwabule; Saleng 3, Dzvukamanja

2023/24 Pirates 2-0 Swallows Makgopa, Sibiya (og)

LEAGUE RECORD (since 1985)

Home

P W D L GF GA

Swallows 32 6 14 12 30 40

Pirates 35 15 14 6 44 28

Away

P W D L GF GA

Swallows 35 6 14 15 28 44

Pirates 32 12 14 6 40 30

Total

P W D L GF GA

Swallows 67 12 28 27 58 84

Pirates 67 27 28 12 84 58

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