AMATUKS A HARD NUT
THE Absa Premiership title race is over, so fans have the top eight battle and relegation dogfight to feast their eyes on in the remaining few weeks of the season.
Fourth-placed Orlando Pirates host University of Pretoria at Orlando Stadium today (8pm), hoping they do not slip down the table.
Currently on 44 points, Bucs had come back three times to draw 3-3 with Platinum Stars a fortnight ago, but they could do very little to stop two-goal hero Calvin Kadi in their 2- 0 defeat to Bidvest Wits in their last league game as they dropped down one place to fourth.
Without a victory since they beat Mpumalanga Black Aces last month, Pirates should be determined to take advantage of Mamelodi Sundowns ’ slip-up against Platinum Stars, who held the dethroned champions to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.
A victory for Pirates would move them to within one point of second-placed Sundowns with three matches still to play in the campaign. But AmaTuks are not going to make life easy for Bucs, the visitors needing a victory to boost their chances of finishing in the top eight after missing out last season. Without a win in five league matches, captain Tebogo Monyai feels there is no better way for 10th-placed AmaTuks to end their barren run than with a victory over Bucs.
“We have been struggling and we do not want to lose another game,” Monyai said.
“And if you look at things, we are not really safe from the relegation play-offs. If AmaZulu and Free State Stars win their matches and we lose our matches, then we are in trouble. So the game against Pirates is very important.”
“The good thing is that we have Geoffrey Massa available. We have lacked fire power. Hopefully we can get the goals with him back in the team. It will be a tough game.”
AmaTuks have not beaten Pirates away from home since winning promotion.
The hosts will bank on the likes of Lehlohonolo Majoro and Oupa Manyisa to add to AmaTuks ’ misery. “They win a lot of their games at Orlando Stadium. But there ’ s a first time for every
thing.”