Pirates look to strengthen grip with Gallants victory

Orlando Pirates will look to widen the gap at the top of the Betway Premiership when they square off with Marumo Gallants at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 3:30pm CAT.

CURRENT FORM

The Buccaneers stretched their unbeaten streak to 13 matches across all competitions when they thumped Limpopo's ABC Motsepe League side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila 4-1 in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 last weekend, marking their third consecutive victory.

Pirates now return to their Betway Premiership title chase, sitting top of the table three points ahead of current holders, Mamelodi Sundowns. A victory over Gallants would open up a six-point lead, with Sundowns set to face MC Alger in the CAF Champions League on Saturday.

The Soweto giants will be up against a Gallants winless in 10 matches across all competitions in regulation time, including seven in the Betway Premiership. Bahlabane Ba Ntwara lost 1-0 to TS Galaxy in the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 last weekend, marking a fifth successive defeat.

Therefore, Gallants are hovering just above the relegation zone in the league as they are placed 13th in the standings - a point above 14th-placed Orbit College, but a victory Pirates would push the Free State side clear of the bottom two spots.

TEAM NEWS

Pirates will welcome back one of their key defenders, Lebone Seema, from suspension after missing the Tshakhuma match, but his teammates Selaelo Rasebotja and Sihle Nduli remain sidelined by their respective injuries.

Gallants, on the other hand, have no suspension concerns and even though Bahlabane are yet to report injuries in their camp ahead of their trip to Orlando East, their captain, Edgar Manak,a has missed the team's last four games.

WHAT WAS SAID?

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou

“I told the players that the only way to respect this kind of teams [like Tshakhuma ] is by scoring six, seven or eight goals. It’s my personality and my character to want more from my players," Ouaddou said.

“Even in the league, we must score more goals because that will be important at the end of the season.”

Marumo Gallants head coach Alexandre Lafitte

“There are two ways to play against Pirates but that depends on the level of the team (in terms of quality),” Lafitte said.

“I think it’s going to be really important to learn from this experience, it’s important that we understand that some situations are difficult to play and at these moments we need to stick together.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Patrick Maswanganyi, Orlando Pirates: The tricky playmaker played some of his best football in the victory over Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, grabbing a goal and assist, and he has what it takes to propel the Buccaneers to a win over Gallants.

Jaisen Clifford, Marumo Gallants: The 30-year-old attacker tends to bring his A-game whenever he faces the big clubs, having scored against Pirates and Chiefs this season, and he could be the player to end Bahlabane Ba Ntwa's winless run in Soweto.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2021/22 Gallants 0-0 Pirates

2021/22 Pirates 2-1 Gallants Peprah 2; Ntshangase

2022/23 Pirates 1-0 Gallants Mako

2022/23 Gallants 0-2 Pirates Saleng, Ndlondlo (pen)

2024/25 Pirates 8-1 Gallants Nthatheni (og), Mabasa 3, Van Rooyen, Mbatha 2,

Radiopane (pen); Mhango

2024/25 Gallants 2-0 Pirates Mhango, Mbatha (og)

2025/26 Gallants 2-1 Pirates Msendami, Clifford; Maswanganyi

LEAGUE RECORD (since 2021/22)