Orlando Pirates will host Stellenbosch at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday in the Betway Premiership, as two of last season's top three teams go head-to-head as they look to build momentum after sticky starts.
Both Stellies and Pirates are off to a slow start in the league, with Stellenbosch picking up one point from two matches and the Buccaneers yet to get off the mark. Pirates then picked up a 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns in their MTN8 semi-final first leg.
There is an added edge to this fixture because of the regular movements between the clubs. Orlando Pirates right-back Deano van Rooyen and midfielder Sihle Nduli have both been signed from Stellies since the start of last season. Movements between staff members both ways have also become commonplace.
Current Stellenbosch centre-back Thabo Moloisane is in the last year of his current contract and has been linked with a move to Orlando Pirates. Maroons head coach Steve Barker played down those rumours in the post-match press conference after a 2-0 MTN8 semi-final first leg win over Sekhukhune United on Saturday, although he acknowledged that there was no certainty yet over the defender's future.
"Thabo is in his last year, but I think it's not like he wants to be leaving, he actually would like to continue. So, I think it's something that we are working on, " Barker said.
"But I think of him as a person, as a character; I just have respect for a player that might be leaving and still putting in the shifts that he has - he's played in every single game, every single minute.
"He deserves it, for me, he should have been the [Premiership] defender of the season last year [with Orlando Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi ultimately winning the award]. I felt he was a bit unlucky not to get that. But again, he's shown his quality this evening. So yeah, well done to him."
Key details:
Date: Wednesday, August 20 at 7:30 PM CAT (5:30 PM GMT, 1:30 PM ET)
Venue: Orlando Stadium
How to watch: The match is available on SuperSport.
Team news:
Ashley Cupido was substituted off with an injury in the early minutes of the win over Sekhukhune. Indications at this stage are that it is unlikely to be severe.
Barker's squad is under strain, with their MTN8 run coinciding with August clashes with Kaizer Chiefs, Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns. The Maroons lost 2-0 to Kaizer Chiefs, with the Pirates and Sundowns games still to come.
Barker has stated his preference for managing his squad's minutes on a game-by-game basis rather than with an eye too far into the future.
Pirates were without their injured skipper Sibisi, as well as Olisa Ndah and Makhehleni Makhaula, for their draw with Sundowns. With head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou having tinkered with his starting lineup in his early games at Pirates, it would not be surprising to see more changes.
Expected lineups:
Orlando Pirates
GK Sipho Chaine
LB Deon Hotto | CB Tapelo Xoki | CB Mbekezeli Mbokazi | RB Deano van Rooyen
CM Thalente Mbatha | CM Sihle Nduli
LW Relebohile Mofokeng | AM Patrick 'Tito' Maswanganyi | RW Kamogelo Sebelebele
Stellenbosch
LB Omega Mdaka | CB Henri Stanic | CB Thabo Moloisane | RB Enyinnaya Godswill
CM Thato Khiba | CM Mthetheleli Mthiyane
LW Langelihle Phili | AM André de Jong | RW Devin Titus
Stats:
Stellenbosch have won three and drawn one of their four most recent Premiership clashes with Orlando Pirates.
Deon Hotto has scored five times against Stellenbosch in 15 appearances throughout his career versus the Maroons in all competitions. Four of those goals were for Orlando Pirates and the other for Bidvest Wits.
In each of the last two Premiership seasons, Orlando Pirates have finished second and Stellenbosch third.