Ronald Pfumbidzai, a 28-year-old Zimbabwean left-back, is one of the players to watch as Chippa United host Orlando Pirates this Saturday.
The former Caps United player has impressed for the Chilli Boys this term and scored a brilliant goal to break the deadlock against SuperSport United. It was Pfumbidzai’s fourth goal in 16 outings and his form has led to the Tshwane giants signing him on a pre-contract earlier this week.
Etiosa Ighodaro, a 21-year-old Nigerian striker, is another player to watch for Chippa United, especially after being unable to make an impact against SuperSport. Ighodaro has been performing well in his debut season in the DStv Premiership, scoring eight goals in 18 top-flight matches since joining from the University of Pretoria in August 2022. He will be aiming to make a bigger impact against the Pirates, especially after scoring the equalizer against Sekhukhune.
Monnapule Saleng, a 25-year-old winger, is a player to watch for Orlando Pirates. He was a major threat to Richards Bay’s defence with his runs down the wings and almost scored in the first half after hitting the near post with a free-kick from a difficult angle. He eventually sealed the victory in stoppage time with his ninth goal of the season, capitalizing on a rebound.
Tapelo Xoki, a 28-year-old centre-back, is another key player to watch for Orlando Pirates. He joined the club from AmaZulu in the off-season and has since become an important part of their defence. Xoki has started in the last 11 games and scored his first goal for the club recently, which was the winner against SuperSport. Although he missed a golden opportunity to score last weekend when he blasted the ball over the bar from close range after his initial header was saved by Richards Bay goalkeeper Malcolm Jacobs.
Meanwhile, the head coach of the Pirates, Jose Riveiro, aims to win against Chippa United in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to help the team secure a top-two finish in the DStv Premiership. The Buccaneers are in second place after winning their last three matches, while SuperSport United dropped points and are now in third place with the same number of points as the Buccaneers, Supersport reported.
Chippa United, under Kurt Lentjies, have yet to win a match, but their performances have improved after drawing 1-1 with Sekhukhune United and SuperSport in their last two games. Despite this, they have dropped to 14th place in the league standings following wins by Swallows and Maritzburg United in their previous matches. Lentjies mentioned that the team is in good spirits after earning points against Gavin Hunt’s team and is hoping for a repeat performance against the Pirates to achieve a league double over them.