The timing couldn’t be better for Maritzburg United to face SuperSport United at the Harry Gwala Stadium tonight.
Having conceded no goals after two matches and coming off a comfortable home draw against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, the Team of Choice will expect to maintain their unbeaten start against the injury-hit visitors.
With better luck Maritzburg might even have edged the Brazilians’ B team last week. Four points from two outings, compares favourably to one for Supersport. It’s a significant turnaround in light of last term’s fight against relegation.
Only two games into the league campaign, SuperSport coach Stuart Baxter wouldn’t have expected to be hit with such a lengthy injury list. Defensively they are without Clayton Daniels, Grant Kekana, Tefu Mashamaite, Keagan Ritchie and Cole Alexander, while the attack is missing Fagrie Lakay.
If a sense of desperation creeps into the visitors’ play, as they seek their first win in four league and cup outings, it will be welcomed by Maritzburg. The home side was still a work in progress, coach Ernst Middendorp said after the Sundowns encounter, and needed to improve their decision-making in critical attacking moments.
That’s where the calm demeanour of captain and playmaker Kurt Lentjies, pictured, will be essential against his old club. His reunion with former Maritzburg pair, midfield menace Michael Morton and defender Mario Booysen, will provide intriguing battles.
A bigger challenge for Maritzburg is to play more as a team and limit the individual errors that proved their downfall last season, said chairman Farook Kadodia. Those calamities were largely in defence. This is a new-look backline, but they come up against a well-drilled attack in the form of Jeremy Brockie, Thuso Phala and Kingston Nkhatha.
Complacency is another factor to be wary of, warned the Maritzburg chairman. “These are the games we need to pick up our performance, because against teams like Sundowns the players are extra motivated. If we want to avoid pressure later on then we must collect these early points.”
The other local side, Golden Arrows, also face a team searching for their first victory when they tackle Free State Stars at Goble Park in an early kick-off.
The home side made an uncertain start to the campaign, with numerous players off-loaded ahead of an aborted sale of their franchise. However they appear to be settling under French coach Denis Lavagne, following an opening 2-1 loss at Chippa United and a 0-0 draw against Bloemfontein Celtic.
Free State are generally tough to breach at home, which means Arrows are likely to rely on their counter-attacking game to squeeze something from the tie.
One factor in Arrows’ favour is that they have a number of players who are familiar with the terrain. Among them are former Celtic players Vuyani Ntanga, Lerato Lamola, Wayde Jooste, Musa Bilankulu and Limbikani Mzava.
Nevertheless Arrows coach Clinton Larsen will remind his men not to sit too deep and allow the opposition to pressure them, as was the case when they beat Cape Town City in their last fixture.
FIXTURES
Tonight, 7.30pm (unless noted)
Free State Stars v Golden Arrows (Goble Park Stadium, 6pm)
Maritzburg Utd v SuperSport United (Harry Gwala Stadium)
Highlands Park v Kaizer Chiefs (Makhulong Stadium)
The Star