Clash of the giants
Form men Sirino, Pule carry teams
Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have potential match winners as the two giants clash at Loftus Stadium tomorrow (3.30pm).
You are looking at two teams that have a lot of quality at their disposal and that has been reflected in their previous encounters that have produced a lot of goals.
When the two sides last met in January, the Buccaneers were the happy of the two sides as they won 3-1 in what was a thrilling encounter.
The man who did the damage on that occasion was Bucs winger Luvuyo Memela, who was in inspired form alongside the likes of Mpho Makola and Justin Shonga, who were all on the score-sheet.
In Sundowns’ corner Percy Tau replied with a goal, but the stand-out performers will not feature this time around.
Tau is playing for St Gilloise in Belgium’s second division and Memela has not featured much for the Buccaneers – he’s made one appearance this season because of an injury.
Sundowns, the hosts, can call on midfield dynamo, Gaston Sirino. The Uruguayan was back among the goals in midweek when his brace inspired the Brazilians to a 3-1 victory over Free State Stars at Loftus. The 27-year-old has four goals and two assists in 11 matches for coach Pitso Mosimane’s charges.
Pirates, however, have a player as equally talented as Sirino in the form of Vincent Pule. Proving he can handle a big occasion, Pule was instrumental in Pirates’s 2-1 win over rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby last month with his goal being the winner on the day.