Supersport United versus Orlando Pirates: Second set
THERE was a sick but utterly deserved tennis joke that did the rounds in the aftermath of Orlando Pirates’ record-equalling hammering by Supersport United.
There have been far more illustrious teams who have been battered 6-1, but the resonance of that league result reverberated more than any other defeat for Pirates.
It is highly unlikely Saturday’s Telkom Knockout Cup semifinal between the sides in Mbombela will produce a similar deluge of goals, but there will be action. Supersport's rising dominance: Supersport have only lost twice to Pirates in the past three seasons and Stuart Baxter knows how to dismantle the Buccaneers.
Past victories have not been as emphatic but in their last two matches, Supersport have put nine goals past the Buccaneers. That includes last season’s Nedbank Cup final ambush when Pirates were favourites. Pirates have not been short on goals against Supersport but they’ve often found themselves on the losing side. There has to be a winner on Saturday. Pirates’ defensive headaches: While Pirates’ defensive problems were inherited from the doomed Muhsin Ertugral and Eric Tinkler eras, Augusto Palacios needs to find a settled back four very quickly. The two times Pirates kept clean sheets were in goalless draws against Kaizer Chiefs and Cape Town City. Against City they were rather fortunate that Brighton Mhlongo was in top form. Supersport’s lack of defensive pace: Baxter’s side deserve to be talk of the town with their excellent midfield organisation but that often covers up for their sluggish back four. Michael Boxall, Morgan Gould, Onismor Bhasera and Clayton Daniels are at best carthorses who see flames when matched with a speed merchant. The amount of work Dean Furman and Reneilwe Letsholonyane get through to protect these gentlemen is unparalleled.
Is Ronwen Williams as good as everyone makes him out to be?
After his calamitous error during this week’s 1-1 draw between South Africa and Mozambique, question marks will be raised about Williams’s temperament. Supersport's No 1 made an issue of not being selected for the national team but did not provide compelling evidence in Maputo that he deserved to be picked ahead of Mhlongo and Itumeleng Khune. While he played a sterling role in saving three penalties against Mamelodi Sundowns, the abysmal nature of those spot kicks must not be forgotten. Letsholonyane v Oupa Manyisa: Manyisa is struggling to find his best form, which makes him a prime target for the currently peerless Letsholonyane. In the aftermath of Andile Jali’s departure, Manyisa has been forced to double up as the holding midfielder and the creative mind while Issa Sarr continues to be a passenger in the middle. The sooner Pirates find a deep-lying central midfielder to ease the pressure on Manyisa, the better. Tendai Ndoro to fire or flicker? For all their faults, passes intended for the red-hot striker seem to find him and result in goals.
However, he seems to suffer from an unexplained malaise that sees him go quiet for long stretches before exploding into life again.
His movement, pace and guile is the kind that will keep Supersport’s defence on its toes.
Whether he finds the target will be another story.