Orlando Pirates v Mamelodi Sundowns; H2H, What to expect

Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns lock horns once again on Wednesday evening at the Orlando Stadium.

The Buccaneers come into the clash having suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Jwaneng Galaxy in the first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round.

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Jose Riveiro’s side have a dismal record against Masandawana, winning only four times in their last 20 encounters. Last season, Sundowns did a double over Pirates and are unbeaten against the Sea Robbers in the last nine league meetings.

Pirates and Sundowns face off once again

Downs have won all their six league games so far but they face their biggest test of the season. Pirates on the other hand, have had a decent start, but need to beat the Brazilians on Wednesday if they are to challenge for the DStv Premiership title.

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Downs coach Rulani Mokwena expects a tough game on Wednesday, pointing out Zakhele Lepasa as a main threat.

“Pirates have scored 18 goals so far with Zakhele Lepasa scoring 10 goals and being the first player to score 10 goals as quickly as he has. They have conceded six goals and that is the data that profiles their form,” he said.

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“But what profiles their playing system is that they average 60% ball possession as compared to last season. They play faster where they average 20 per possession spell. They create a lot of situations as they average nine crosses per match. They create about 13 chances per match. Already you can see where the team is from an offensive perspective,” said Mokwena.

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Since 2016, Pirates and Sundowns played 20 games. The Brazilians have dominated the fixture, winning 12 times, while Pirates only managed four wins. The four other games ended in draws.

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