Jose Riveiro’s player management will be tested in Orlando Pirates’ last two games of the year, given the thrills and spills of the festive season.
The domestic league campaign is set to stretch later into the month, with Pirates’ last game of the year on December 30 against Stellenbosch FC at Orlando Stadium.
This is set to pose a huge threat to the PSL clubs as their coaches and players must be wary of being sucked into the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Pirates are one of the in-form teams in the DStv Premiership right now as they aim to close in on log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, so they cannot afford to falter. They would end the year second on the log should they win the next two games.
Opportunity for Pirates
Pirates will first face the second-placed SuperSport United in Polokwane on Saturday (5.45pm kickoff), and a win from that game will see them leapfrog United.
With five wins in their last six matches, they’ll wear the favourites tag, but their purple patch has papered over their shortcomings up front.
They have only scored seven goals in the last six games. Their strikers have been inconsistent, with Evidence Makgopa blowing hot and cold.
It’s not entirely Makgopa’s responsibility to score goals, though, as other players also need to chip in.
SuperSport are a free-scoring outfit on a good day at the office, and they’ll want to be at their best against Pirates, given the magnitude of the game.
A win over Gavin Hunt’s side won’t mean the road gets easier for the Buccaneers, though. A trip to Carling Knockout Cup champions Stellenbosch FC awaits them on December 30.
Stellies’ cup triumph was not a fluke. They’ve been consistent allround, including in the league, where they are fourth on the log. And having had a long break after their triumph, coach Steve Barker and his team would want to prove that they are not suffering from a cup hangover.
Already, Pirates and Stellenbosch have met three times in the league – the latter winning two of those games, in the league and MTN8 semi-final.
That victory in the second leg of the MTN8 semi-final came after Pirates had already wrapped up the tie in the first leg in Athlone, however.
But with a lot having happened since, Stellies will want to show that they’ve improved and to do the double over the Sea Robbers in the league.