AmaZulu FC will play host to Orlando Pirates in a DStv Premiership encounter at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Tuesday.
Kick-off is at 7:30 pm CAT.
Usuthu snapped their two-match winless run when they claimed a 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs in a Carling Knockout Last 16 clash played in Johannesburg over the weekend.
Head-to-Head
The KwaZulu-Natal giants are placed 11th on the DStv Premiership standings – three points behind sixth-placed Cape Town City and a win over Pirates would see AmaZulu climb into the top eight.
“I came here [in SA] to play this kind of games, like the one we played today [against Chiefs]…to beat these opponents and to beat big teams like Chiefs you need to prepare really well and we should do the same when we are facing Pirates,” AmaZulu FC head coach Pablo Franco Martin said.
“With [proper] preparations, I feel this team [AmaZulu] won’t fear anyone. We are ready to compete against anyone and we are capable of beating anyone but without preparations and no time to rest, it’s going to be much more difficult.”
Meanwhile, Pirates are now undefeated in their last two competitive matches having made it two wins in a row when they defeated Cape Town Spurs 2-0 in the Carling Knockout in Soweto on Friday.
The Buccaneers are occupying the 14th spot on the league standings – a point above the relegation zone and a victory over AmaZulu would elevate the Soweto giants to the 10th spot.
“Trust me, our intentions are at the same level in the league games and we are now 100% focused on AmaZulu on Tuesday. It doesn’t mean the other tournaments are not important,” Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro said.
“It is an opportunity to improve the history of the club. Our focus now is on AmaZulu, Polokwane City and Cape Town Spurs again because we really want to compete in the league as well.”
AmaZulu will once again be without Abbubaker Mobara as the former Pirates defender remains suspended.
Head-to-Head
LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2018/19 AmaZulu 1-1 Pirates Tade; Mulenga
2018/19 Pirates 4-1 AmaZulu Mahachi, Memela, Shonga, Motshwari; Ncobeni
2019/20 AmaZulu 0-0 Pirates
2019/20 Pirates 1-0 AmaZulu Pule
2020/21 AmaZulu 1-1 Pirates Majoro; Mhango (pen)
2020/21 Pirates 1-0 AmaZulu Mhango
2021/22 AmaZulu 1-1 Pirates Moremi; Hotto
2021/22 Pirates 2-1 AmaZulu Peprah 2; Memela
2022/23 Pirates 1-1 AmaZulu Mothwa (og); Maduna (pen)
2022/23 AmaZulu 0-4 Pirates Monyane, Mofokeng, Saleng, Dlamini
LEAGUE RECORD (since 1985)
Home
P W D L GF GA
AmaZulu 33 6 17 10 30 39
Pirates 32 19 9 4 55 23
Away
P W D L GF GA
AmaZulu 32 4 9 19 23 55
Pirates 33 10 17 6 39 30
Total
P W D L GF GA
AmaZulu 65 10 26 29 53 94
Pirates 65 29 26 10 94 53
