Chance to lay down early marker for crown

The second round of the Absa Premiership season takes place this weekend with the clash between title hopefuls Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits the main attraction. Another intriguing clash will see Steve Komphela lead Kaizer Chiefs against the team he

TOMORROW University of Pretoria v Polokwane City At Tuks Stadium Kick-off: 3pm TV: SABC 1 Last season: Tuks 0, City 1 Results so far: Tuks: L City: W

City would have no doubt enjoyed the rarity of seeing themselves top of the table – albeit after just one match – following their 3-2 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic. They have since been usurped by Orlando Pirates who played their second match on Tuesday and won emphatically. Kosta Papic’s team will strive to get the better of a Tuks side that came a-cropper at Arrows so they can go back to the league summit. And if their showing in the opening match is any gauge, they do have the beating of Sammy Troughton’s men.

Prediction: Tuks 1, City 2

Mamelodi Sundowns v Bidvest Wits At Lucas Moripe Stadium Kick-off: 3pm TV: SuperSport 4 Last season: Sundowns 0, Wits 0 Results so far Sundowns: D Wits: W

Sundowns would not have forgotten that defeat they suffered at Wits last season, a result that contributed hugely to their being dethroned as champions. They would love nothing more than to stick it to the Clever Boys who have had a fantastic start to the season with progress to the cup semi-final and a good win in the league. It will be interesting to see whether Wits hold back in this one to save themselves for the second leg MTN8 semi-final clash against Ajax Cape Town. But the league title is always the big prize for Gavin Hunt and he will probably throw everything into this.

Prediction: Sundowns 1, Wits 1

Mpumalanga Black Aces v SuperSport United At Mbombela Stadium Kick-off: 6pm Last season: Aces 0, SuperSport 1 Results so far: Aces: W SuperSport: W

Amazayoni looked pretty sharp in winning at Free State Stars and will be confident of chalking up another win when they welcome a SuperSport outfit that also began the season on a victorious note. Gordon Igesund, the multiple championship-winning coach in charge of SuperSport, was cock-ahoop after his side beat Orlando Pirates in a match that lasted two days as he sang praises of his team – particularly scorer Michael Boxall and young debutant defender Denwin Farmer. He also raved about Isaka Cernak and having added Dean Furman to the squad will be expect nothing less than victory in Mbombela and should get it.

Prediction: Aces 0, SuperSport 2

Kaizer Chiefs v Free State Stars At FNB Stadium Kick-off: 8.15pm TV: SuperSport 4 Last season: Chiefs 2, Stars 1 Results so far Chiefs: D Stars: L

Steve Komphela comes up against his former team hoping that his defence finally finds their rhythm after what has been a shaky start to the season. He will be pleased though with the fact that his team is playing the kind of expansive, attacking football he has preached they should. And Stars just do not appear the kind of team that will be able to cope against a marauding Chiefs side that has twice shown great character by coming back from behind to win and draw in two matches. They have said they want to make the FNB Stadium a fortress this campaign and if that win over Maritzburg United is anything to go by, Stars could be on a hiding to nothing.

Prediction: Chiefs 2, Stars 0

Ajax Cape Town v Maritzburg United At Cape Town Stadium Kick-off: 8.15pm TV: SABC 1 Last season: Ajax 0, Maritzburg 0 Results so far Ajax: L Maritzburg: D

In the semi-final of the MTN8, Ajax will look to get off the mark in the league when Maritzburg come to visit. They were beaten by the same Wits side they have to overcome next weekend if they are to get to the final and Roger de Sa will no doubt demand better defensive awareness than the calamitous showing that saw the Urban Warriors gift Wits a previous away goal in the cup. Maritzburg on the other hand will love to be as positive in their approach as they were against Chiefs in the cup.

Prediction: Ajax 1, Maritzburg 1

SUNDAY

Jomo Cosmos v Golden Arrows At Olen Park Kick-off: 3pm TV: SABC 1 Last Season: Cosmos 0, Arrows 0 (NFD) Results so far: Cosmos: D Arrows: W

A clash of the Premiership returnees sees professional football back in Potchefstroom for the first time since Paul Dolezar’s Bloemfontein Celtic beat SuperSport United to win the SAA Supa8 in 2005. Cosmos will be using Olen Park as their base and after a satisfactory draw at Maritzburg United in their opening match, Ezenkosi will be confident of grabbing maximum points. But Arrows will want to show that their winning the NFD ahead of Cosmos last season was no fluke. A tightly contested affair is in the offing.

Prediction: Cosmos 1, Arrows 1

Bloemfontein Celtic v Platinum Stars At Free State Stadium Kick-off: 3pm TV: SuperSport 4 Last Season: Celtic 2, Stars 0 Results so far: Celtic: L Stars: D

If they play like they did against Chiefs in the MTN8 last weekend, then Celtic should have little problem disposing of Stars. But anything along the lines of their showing up in Polokwane in the league and Cavin Johnson and his men could take the points back to Phokeng. Celtic were impressive in their draw with Amakhosi and the fact that they had a few of their key players not in the starting line-up tells the story of a team with good depth. Helder Pelembe will look to continue to impress after scoring a great goal on debut while Keagan Buchanan will be expected to pull the strings for the home side. Will Masibusane Zongo shine for Stars like he did against Sundowns?

Prediction: Celtic 2, Stars 1