Pirates look to continue fine form

Orlando Pirates will look to continue their fine form in the Absa Premiership when they host Golden Arrows at Orlando Stadium on 3 October 2018, kick-off at 19h30.

Pirates have picked up 10 points from the last 12 up for grabs, with their most recent outing a 2-1 away win over Baroka FC on September 22 in which Vincent Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch scored their goals.

“There were so many critical things in the second half, but please we need to understand the fact that players are human beings,” said Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic in the wake of the win over Baroka.

“As such, this was their third match in seven days so lapses of concentration are normal when someone is tired. And when we look at it, we are satisfied with the three points we got.”

The Buccaneers, however, have struggled at home this season: they have won just once from four matches and in their last game as hosts, they gave away a two-goal lead to be held 2-2 by Cape Town City.

Arrows saw their winless run in the league extended to six matches after they were held 0-0 at home by Chippa United on September 22. The Durban side has not won a game since the opening round of the 2018/19 season.

“Two points dropped at home feels like a loss. Again we dominated but failed to break the deadlock,” said Arrows coach Clinton Larsen after the stalemate with the Chilli Boys.

Abafana Bes’thende has claimed four points from their three away matches this season, though their last result on the road was a 2-1 loss at Highlands Park in mid-September.

Head-to-Head, league only

In head-to-head stats, Pirates and Arrows have met in 34 league matches since 2000/01. The Buccaneers have claimed 19 wins compared to six for Abafana Bes’thende, while nine matches have been drawn. The Soweto side has won 10 of their 17 home league matches against their Durban counterparts, suffering just two defeats in the process.

Last season Pirates took four points off Arrows, playing out a goalless draw in Soweto in the first half of the campaign, before winning 2-1 in Durban in the return game, thanks to goals from Thembinkosi Lorch and Mthokozisi Dube.

| P | W | D | L | GF | GA
Pirates | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 52 | 28
Arrows | 34 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 52

Season league results (most recent first).

Pirates | W | D | W | W | L | L | W
Arrows | D | L | L | D | D | L | W