Cape derby takes centre stage this midweek

The Cape derby between Stellenbosch FC and Cape Town City will take centre stage in the first full midweek round of fixtures in the 2024-25 Betway Premiership.

Stellies and the Citizens will meet at the Athlone Stadium on the evening of Wednesday, 25 September, with both teams chasing a first league win of the season.

Stellenbosch suffered a surprise 2-0 home loss at the hands of Golden Arrows last midweek to open their Premiership campaign on a low note – though they could be forgiven for putting more focus on a very testing Caf Confederation Cup qualifying tie against DR Congo’s AS Vita Club which concluded this past weekend with the Winelands club advancing 3-1 on aggregate to progress into the group stage.

City, meanwhile, were held 1-1 by Royal AM in their league opener on September 14.

“It doesn’t help to dwell on this loss [against Arrows],” said Stellies coach Steve Barker. "We have to focus on that game, and the big derby game in our next league game next week Wednesday.”

The round opens on Tuesday, 24 September – a public holiday – with Orlando Pirates hosting Polokwane City in Soweto in the afternoon, followed by champions Mamelodi Sundowns tackling Marumo Gallants at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, and a KwaZulu-Natal derby between Royal AM and Richards Bay at the Harry Gwala Stadium.

SUNDOWNS V GALLANTS

This will be the first league meeting between Mamelodi Sundowns and Marumo Gallants following the visitors' relegation at the end of the 2022-23 season.

The two teams have previously met four times in league games, they also met in the 2021-22 Nedbank Cup Final and clashed in the Nedbank Cup Round of 16 in 2022-23.

In the 2021/22 season, Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Marumo Gallants 4-0 in the first round with goals from Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile (2), and Pavol Safranko.

The second league match in the 2021/22 season ended in a 1-1 draw. Lesedi Kapinga scored for Sundowns, while Philip Ndlondlo equalised for Gallants with a penalty.

In the 2022-23 season Sundowns triumphed back-to-back against Gallants in league encounters, scoring three goals and keeping a clean sheet. Sundowns winning. Sundowns won the first meeting 1-0 at home and followed it up with a 2-0 away win.

Marumo Gallants are winless in both league and cup fixtures against Mamelodi Sundowns (D1 L5).

Ndlondo is the only player to have scored against Sundowns for Marumo in a league game, while Sundowns eight goals in this fixture have been scored by seven different players.

There is yet to be a 0-0 game in this fixture.

In only one previous meetings between the teams has both sides scored during a 1-1 draw with Sundowns as hosts in 2021-22.

Sundowns have kept three clean-sheets in this fixture, including in both their games in the 2022-23 season when the teams last met. Gallants are yet to keep a clean-sheet in this fixture.

BIG WEDNESDAY CLASHES

Wednesday, aside from the Cape derby, also features a clash between traditional heavyweights AmaZulu FC and Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Usuthu are looking to bounce back from a 2-1 loss at Polokwane City in their opener, while the Amakhosi want to build on a 2-1 win over Marumo Gallants.

“I know Nasreddine [Nabi, new Chiefs manager] for a long time, we played [coached] against each other [in Tanzania] and I know how difficult it is to beat him,” said AmaZulu boss Pablo Franco Martin.

“I’m sure that he is bringing fresh air to Kaizer Chiefs and any coach when it comes to a new team will do anything like that, also he has experience. On the other hand, I think it’s going to be difficult because we know each other. I think it’s going to be an interesting battle.”

Also on the fixture card are a clash pitting Golden Arrows against Magesi FC, while Sekhukhune United host Chippa United, and SuperSport United tackle TS Galaxy at TUT Stadium.

BETWAY PREMIERSHIP MIDWEEK FIXTURES

TIMES CAT

TUESDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER
- 3pm: Orlando Pirates v Polokwane City
- 5:30pm: Mamelodi Sundowns v Marumo Gallants
- 7:30pm: Royal AM v Richards Bay

WEDNESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER
- 7:30pm: AmaZulu FC v Kaizer Chiefs
- 7:30pm: Golden Arrows v Magesi FC
- 7:30pm: Sekhukhune United v Chippa United
- 7:30pm: Stellenbosch FC v Cape Town City
- 7:30pm: SuperSport United v TS Galaxy