Orlando Pirates will have three key players available for their clash against Cape Town City on Wednesday afternoon.
The two teams will play at the Cape Town Stadium, with a CAF spot up for grabs. The Buccaneers are still chasing second spot in the DStv Premiership. With Stellenbosch looking strong this season, Jose Riveiro might need his side to win all their remaining games to stand a chance.
Sunday’s victory came at a cost for the Pirates who lost right-back Thabiso Lebitso to injury, ruling him out of Wednesday’s fixture. This could mean another opportunity for Thabiso Monyane, who put on a tireless shift after coming on as a replacement.
Pirates to play City without Lebitso, but welcome three players
The midfield duo of Patrick Maswanganyi and Makhehleni Makhaula will be absent from the Bucs’ travelling party. The players are suspended for the match after receiving bookings at Harry Gwala.
Despite these setbacks, Bucs have some significant boosts, as Sipho Chaine, Deon Hotto, and Miguel Timm returning from suspension. The trio missed the trip to the Midlands.
Pirates’ opponents City will welcome back defender Keanu Cupido, who has completed a two-match suspension after picking up a red card. Eric Tinkler’s men are sixth on the log and still have a chance to finish in the top three.
Despite an excellent start to the season, the Cape outfit have not registered a win since December 2023. They have claimed just four out of a possible 15 points in their five most recent outings, drawing four and losing once. City playing against Pirates at home should give them some sort of an advantage.
Pirates will be without their star player Patrick Maswanganyi on Wednesday
After consecutive stalemates in games against Polokwane City and Lamontville Golden Arrows, a win is a must for Tinkler. They will be determined to turn their fortunes around with a winning performance against the Soweot Giants
Unlike City, Pirates have been on a roll, defeating Royal AM 4-0 in their last match. The victory was their third in a row and their fourth match unbeaten, taking their points tally to 10 in their last five games, with only one defeat.
A standout feature in Pirates’ recent run has been their efficiency in front of goal. They scored 14 goals during this period, while their defence has kept things quiet at the other end, conceding only five goals.
Pirates meet a City outfit desperate to arrest their slide down the standings.
source https://www.soccer2day.co.za/2024/05/01/three-key-players-return-for-pirates-ahead-of-ct-city-clash/
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