Defending PSL champions Orlando Pirates face their first away assignment of the new season when they travel to Durban to take on AmaZulu at King’s Park Stadium on Wednesday night. With both teams already on three points, we look at the betting preview, best bets and a prediction for this PSL encounter.
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Both teams made winning starts to their league campaigns. Pirates kicked off their title defence with a 2-0 victory over newly promoted Milford FC, while AmaZulu claimed an impressive 1-0 away win over Stellenbosch FC.
The two sides experienced considerably more demanding outings in the MTN8 over the weekend. Pirates needed extra time to edge Durban City 2-1, while Usuthu were eliminated following a thrilling 4-3 extra-time defeat to Sekhukhune United.
Betting Preview
Orlando Pirates could hardly have asked for a better start to their PSL title defence.
Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi were on target as the Buccaneers defeated Milford 2-0 in their opening league fixture, before Gamphani Lungu’s dramatic 120th-minute winner against Durban City kept alive their pursuit of a fifth consecutive MTN8 title.
It means Abdeslam Ouaddou’s men arrive in Durban with two wins from two competitive fixtures, although the quick turnaround from playing 120 minutes on Saturday could test the depth and fitness of his squad.
AmaZulu have had an equally busy start.
Arthur Zwane’s side began their league campaign by beating Stellenbosch 1-0 away from home before suffering heartbreak in the MTN8. Usuthu twice led against Sekhukhune and fought back from 3-1 down to force extra time, only for Vuyo Letlapa’s 97th-minute goal to knock them out.
Zwane was particularly unhappy with his team’s defending in that defeat and has challenged his players to respond against the champions.
There is attacking quality in this AmaZulu side, with Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya already among the players to make an early impact this season. However, the defensive lapses against Sekhukhune will be a concern when facing a Pirates attack that has started the campaign brightly.
Pirates are the stronger selection on the match result market.
The champions have won both of their competitive matches this season, possess greater depth and have dominated this fixture for more than a decade.
AmaZulu will be motivated to respond to their MTN8 disappointment, but conceding four times against Sekhukhune raises questions about how their defence will cope with the variety Pirates possess in attack.
Recent Form & Stats
The recent history of this fixture heavily favours Orlando Pirates.
The Buccaneers completed a league double over AmaZulu last season without conceding, winning 2-0 in Durban before cruising to a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture. Pirates’ unbeaten league run against Usuthu now stretches beyond a decade. The club’s own records have them unbeaten in the last 21 league meetings, with 11 victories and 10 draws during that sequence.
Their recent overall form is equally impressive. Pirates have scored nine goals across their last five matches and head into Wednesday’s contest on a lengthy unbeaten run. AmaZulu, meanwhile, have scored five times across their last five outings.
AmaZulu’s recent competitive results:
Stellenbosch 0-1 AmaZulu
AmaZulu 3-4 Sekhukhune United AET
Orlando Pirates’ recent competitive results:
Orlando Pirates 2-0 Milford FC
Orlando Pirates 2-1 Durban City AET
The statistics point towards Pirates, but AmaZulu’s opening-day victory at Stellenbosch showed they should not be dismissed, particularly with home advantage.
Best Bets & Predictions
Prediction: Orlando Pirates to win at 1.55.
Best Bet: Orlando Pirates to win & over 1.5 total goals at 1.91.
Alternative Bet: Orlando Pirates to win to nil at 2.24.
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