R28-million Soccer 13 pot . . . wow!
TAB’s famous Soccer 13 bet has created many instant millionaires down the years and more could be on the way this Saturday. The day’s Soccer 13 starts with a whopping carryover of over R10 million and that should ensure a pool of some R28 million. Pick a team to win, lose or draw in each of the 13 matches, play the bet for R2 at a TAB or online and who knows - come Sunday you could be sipping champagne and celebrating millionaire status!
Saturday’s mega Soccer 13 is the mustplay bet of the weekend, but there are chances to make piles of cash on TAB’s other soccer bets including carryover-boosted Soccer 10 pools on Friday and Saturday.
The first Soccer 10 bet on Saturday starts with a R100,000 carryover and includes several cracker clashes like the mouth-watering duel between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs in the second leg of their MTN8 semi-final. It’s the first match in the carryover pool and Sundowns will fancy their prospects of progressing to the final.
They drew 1-1 away to Kaizer Chiefs in the first leg at Soccer City and have the away goal in their favour for the return match at Atteridgeville on Saturday. Plus they have already beaten Chiefs there in the league this season, but it has to be said that was not a convincing triumph for the Brazilians.
Pirates are in the driving seat in their second-leg semi against Stellenbosch, having won 2-1 away in Cape Town in the first leg. If Stellenbosch are to bounce back and get through to their first cup final, they must win by two clear goals at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday. Although they have a talented young squad, that seems a bridge too far for the club from the Winelands.
The MTN8 final is set for 7 October and if it is to be Pirates against Sundowns, then their league clash last night at the Orlando Stadium might prove a guide to the destination of the first trophy of the season.
This weekend sees several derbies in Europe, notably the North London duel between Arsenal and Spurs, and the Madrid clash between Real and Atletico. Both are on Sunday and Real go into their game with five wins out of five and a decent lead at the top of LaLiga. Ferland Mendy could be back for this contest, but Los Blancos will definitely again be without the services of the key trio of Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior, who are all recovering from serious injuries.
Atletico are also enduring plenty of injury problems early in the season and after their LaLiga loss to Valencia last weekend, it emerged that Thomas Lemar could be ruled out for several months after suffering a serious Achilles tendon injury.
There are also injury woes for Arsenal with a trio of absentees in Thomas Partey (groin), Jurrien Timber and Mohamed Elneny, who both have knee issues. To make matters worse they suffered another blow last weekend when Gabriel Martinelli tweaked a hamstring while running through to score a goal that was then disallowed.
In winning against Sheffield United last weekend, Spurs kept up their hot streak of scoring at least twice in every game under new manager Ange Postecoglou, having done so in five matches in a row for only the third time following similar feats in 1960-61 and 196566.
HIRED/FIRED: Quique Setien became the first La Liga manager to be sacked this season after his Villarreal team started the season slowly. He has been replaced by former Valladolid manager Pacheta.