In what is another keenly anticipated fixture in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32, Motsepe Foundation Championship side All Stars will host Orlando Pirates at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday night.
Kick-off is at 8pm (SA, GMT+2)
With a number of lower ranked clubs taking on DStv Premiership sides in the Nedbank Cup this week, All Stars and Pirates are set to do battle for the very first time.
In the Motsepe Foundation Championship, All Stars are among the top sides seeking a promotional spot and currently occupy 6th spot in South Africa’s first division.
Coach Sinethemba Badela and company are currently on a run of inconsistent performances, particularly in their last five games. With two victories, two draws and the single defeat in their previous handful of encounters, All Stars head into the Pirates clash short on confidence.
However, All Stars could bank on their home form as a source of hope, as they boast an unbeaten record on their own patch this season. Speaking ahead of the tie, Badela mentioned that his side will stick to their principles of keeping the ball, despite playing against a progressive Bucs outfit.
“Before, Pirates were playing a lot more on the transition,” Badela said.
"But now with a three man midfield, a very good midfield, they are able to keep the ball a lot more.
“So we are going to work very hard without the ball. We know it's not like in the Championship, where most of the games we dominate.
“Pirates are a big team, so we are going to have to fight for possession. So what we’ll tell our players is that they have to have freedom, we have to be brave, we have to try and play.
“We can’t all of a sudden tell them 'no, we don’t want the ball anymore’. It's not what we have been doing the whole season.
“We are a team that keep the ball, that passes, so we have to do the same. It’s going to be a lot more difficult because of the quality of the opposition.
Pirates on the other hand are continuing their revolution under the tutelage of Jose Riveiro. The Soweto club is currently in 4th place on the DStv Premiership table after 19 games played.
Prior to their recent 1-0 loss against league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, Bucs recorded three consecutive wins against Golden Arrows, Stellenbosch and Marumo Gallants respectively. During this period, Pirates scored nine goals, while conceding just two along the way.
The Buccaneers have already tasted Cup success this season and are currently the MTN8 trophy holders. In the Nedbank Cup however, Pirates have just one quarterfinal appearance in their last five outings in the popular tournament.
Reflecting on the match, Riveiro has set his sights on reaching the final, beginning with All Stars as the nearest task at hand.
“Our responsibility is to win every match,” Riveiro said.
“Hopefully go to the final but we have to take it step by step and starting with a very difficult team in All Stars FC.
“We go with the intention of going through to the next round."