After George Maluleka pulled a stunning show last Saturday, bagging a brace in Chief’s favour, Platinum Stars will be facing a big task on the field this Sunday, the 24th of August. Kaizer Chiefs entered the game on the back of a 4-0 win over Mpumalanga Black Aces in the first round. Platinum Stars qualified for the semi-finals by beating Absa Premiership League champions Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1. Maluleka, who signed with Chiefs eight months ago, has come to prove his worth in the Amakhosi jersey.
Dikwena created a number of good scoring opportunities in the first half, but they failed to convert them into goals. Their loss to Chiefs means a lot of hard work for the team in the second round if they want to book a place in the MTN8 finals. Chiefs are on advantage as they lead with an aggregate score of 2-0 going into the second leg match at FNB Stadium on Sunday. Platinum Stars will face a huge challenge as they will be playing against anon-form and electrified Kaizer Chiefs. Amakhosi have started the 2014/15 season on a high note as they have won all three of their league matches to date.
Two goals from Pirates defenders Thabo Matlaba and Siyabonga Sangweni in the second half gave Bucs a foot into the MTN8 final. Wits came into the game on Sunday aiming to settle a score with Pirates, who beat them in last year’s Telkom Knockout Cup final. The stubborn Wits team put up a good performance against Pirates, but goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa denied the students a chance to score. Wits will have their hands full when they face Pirates at home at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
However, Pirates have not been on top form. Their performance so far in the Absa Premiership League has been shaky as they rank number 14 on the PSL log. According to News24 on Tuesday Orlando Pirates winger Daine Klate urged his teammates to be weary of Wits, who have nothing to lose going into the second leg match on Sunday.
Wits coach Gavin Hunt has expressed concern over the lack of scoring abilities from his strikers. This season Wits recruited veteran strikers Henrico Botes and Christopher Katongo, and yet the students have scored only two goals in the PSL so far.
As the pressure and suspense builds towards the MTN8’s second leg fixtures, football fans will be expecting a feast of football action in the two games this coming weekend. Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs fans will be hoping the games result in a Soweto Derby final. That’s very likely, when the only thing Chiefs and Pirates have to do to get to the final is not concede any goals this weekend.
Pirates will host Bidvest Wits on Saturday in a return leg fixture at the Orlando Stadium, the game kicks of at 20:15. The following day Kaizer Chiefs will host defending champions Platinum Stars at the FNB Stadium. Stars will be hoping to reverse a 2-0 loss to Chiefs last week.
Twitter: @GililiChris
