Can TS Galaxy end Pirates' winning streak?

Orlando Pirates will travel to Mbombela Stadium on Sunday 30 April to face TS Galaxy in a Dstv Premiership encounter to Kick-off at 15:00.

Going to Sunday's match, Pirates are riding on a wave of excellent form, having won five league games in a row to boost their chances of clinching the Caf Champions League spot.

The hosts, TS Galaxy, have not been doing all too well. They have won one, drawn two, and lost two of their last five games, a poor run of form that makes it hard to believe they can stop Pirates.

But Galaxy can be a different side to play against, especially when it comes to breaking down their well organized defensive structure.

The Rockets have conceded just 17 goals so far this season, averaging 0.65 goals conceded per match in the league, which makes them the second best defense in the Dstv Premiership.

But it is their performances in the final third that have been a huge let down.

Galaxy are not a team that creates a lot of big chances. Their xGF (expected goals for) average is a poor 1.06 per match in the league.

It reflects on their 0.81 goals scored per match average.

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Having to go up against another stubborn defence in Pirates, doesn't leave much hope for them considering their poor exploits in front of goal.

Pirates average 0.69 goals conceded per match in the league, and they have let in just one goal more than Galaxy.

What gives Bucs even a bigger advantage going to Mbombela, despite their reach vein of form, is their improvement when it comes to finding the back of the net, having scored 11 goals in five league matches.

In a nutshell, all Pirates needs is to be more ruthless in front of goal, making use of an avalanche of chances they create in almost every match, while keeping their impressive defensive structure to dispose of TS Galaxy.

*Stats Source: footystats

The effort and attitude were second to none - Zwane on Chippa win.

Kaizer Chiefs kept their Caf Champions League spot hopes alive with a 1-0 over Chippa United at a packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Thursady afternoon.

Chiefs coach, Arthur Zwane, believes it is the way they started the match that was the catalyst for their victory.

It was Ashley Du Preez who fired Amakhosi to victory with a well taken curler in the 72nd minute.

"I think we came into this game knowing we’re coming against a team that is going to make our life difficult as they are fighting for their lives," Zwane said after the game as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/dstv-premiership/zwane-chiefs-not-giving-up-cafcl-hopes/

"It was never going to be an easy game but if there’s one thing we did right today, is how we started the game – we dictated terms, we showed intention, showed we wanted to win the game, we had a few early chances we didn’t take but the effort and attitude were second to none.

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"At half time we had to encourage them to keep on pushing and give their best and they did exactly that – in the second half we weren’t ruthless, the scoreline wasn’t a reflection of what we saw, it could have been more than 1-0 but yeah, all we needed was three points, we got a clean sheet as well and move on."

Chiefs next match will be against Swallows FC on Monday 01 April at Peter Mokaba Stadium, kick-off is at 15:00.

At Sundowns you have to play well and win - Says Mokwena.

After back-to-back wins against CR Belouizdad, and Richards Bay FC in the Caf Champions League and Dstv Premiership respectively, Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena, has shed some light on what his team has been going through lately.

Before they left to face CR Belouizdad in a CAFCL quarter-final in Algeria last weekend, a match they won 4-1, Sundowns had been struggling in the domestic front, with three straight draws in the league, and a Nedbank Cup exit in the hands of Stellenbosch FC.

"We know that at Sundowns you have to play well and win, we know that," Mokwena told Mamelodi Sundowns media.

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"There are times where we have to show that we are Champions, we have to grind results a little bit and roll up our sleeves. It’s not always going to be pretty. It can’t be pretty because it’s not a world of realism and perfectionists. As I’ve said, I am very proud of the efforts of the players."

Mokwena says Sundowns finds themselves in a situation like that of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, where despite being tired, they still have to grind out results.

"We have to try to win every game, [it is a] difficult time for us because every game now is a game of consequence, everyone is playing for something. Every game is a game of consequence, that means we have to be at our best at every training session and at every match. We have to fight and we have to be able to solve football problems and the dynamics of the problems, even sometimes when we are a little bit tired. It’s not easy, it’s tough and it’s the space Bayern are in, it’s the space Real Madrid are in."

Sundowns host CR Belouizdad on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium for the CAFCL quarter-final second leg. Kick-off is at 16:00.

Sundowns won't sacrifice their soul for the CAFCL, according to Mokwena.

Rulani Mokwena has reiterated that Mamelodi Sundowns will not sacrifice their game model for Caf Champions League, according to SABC Sport.

Sundowns have stuck to their brand of football throughout the tournament, and they are just a game away from reaching the semi-finals.

Maybe that justifies Mokwena's thinking, why fix what is not broken?

"They're saying to (Roberto) De Zerbi at Brighton, the English Premier League, you can't play this way. They said when (Guardiola) Pep arrived in the EPL, they said you can't win in the English Premier League this way. His biggest challenge will be going to Stoke on a Saturday and the first time he went to Stoke, you know the story," said Mokwena as quoted by SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/rulani-mokwena-mamelodi-sundowns-won-t-sacrifice-game-model-for-caf-title

When a tactical/technical need arises within the game, the Brazilians have managed to find solutions by using other alternatives without deviating much from their way of playing.

"Football is about not playing what you feel, what you want, it's a way of playing and I've spoken about the game model for so many years. A game model of the team encompasses many things. The players you have, the history that the club has, shoes shine and piano. The team is built over many transfer periods."

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Sundowns host CR Belouizdad on Saturday 29 April at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, at 16:00, to finish what they started in Algeria, where they emerged as 4-1 winners in the first leg quarter-final. 

Chiefs and Pirates must not be happy with the second spot - Says Ramovic.

TS Galaxy coach, Sead Ramovic, says Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are too big as football clubs to be fighting for the second spot.

Mamelodi Sundowns emerged as champions for the sixth time in a row when they won the Dstv Premiership title with seven matches to spare.

According to Ramovic, Chiefs and Pirates have all the resources they need to challenge Sundowns instead of being 20 points behind.

"To be honest, clubs like Orlando, Chiefs…fantastic clubs, good squad, good coaches, financially strong…top supporters, probably the best in Africa," Ramovic said as quoted by SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/sead-ramovic-slams-tv-pundits-calls-for-educated-analysis

"But they are happy with second spot? No man…this can’t be. That’s not success, they have to fight for the title and not be 20 points behind Sundowns," he added.

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In light of the two Soweto giants' performances this season, and the points gap between them and Sundowns, Ramovic says the 'expects' who say the two sides had a good season must be joking.

"And the experts want to tell me they’ve had a great season? That’s a joke."

Ramovic's TS Galaxy, will host one of the Soweto giants, Orlando Pirates on Sunday 30 May at Mbombela Stadium, with the kick-off at 15:00.

TS Galaxy are currently 11th on the log with 31 points after 26 matches, while Pirates are third with 46 points in 26 matches.

Du Preez the hero as Chiefs beat Chippa.

Kaizer Chiefs got back to winning ways after beating Chippa United 1-0 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

It was the rejuvenated Ashley Du Preez who ensured Amakhosi walked away with all the three points with a stunning curler in the 72nd minute.

Chiefs, as it has become the norm, looked a better side from the beginning as they took control of the proceedings.

They enjoyed a lot of the ball, averaging 52% possession, although it did not yield enough goal scoring opportunities.

Chiefs managed 14 goal attempts on the day, slightly below their average, which might have been the result of changes in the starting line up, with Happy Mashiane starting in place of the injured Keagan Dolly, who is usually the protagonist when it comes to creating chances.

From their 14 attempts, Chiefs managed to put four on target, one being that Du Preez stunner.

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Chippa, who spent most parts of the game under pressure, didn't have much action in front of the Amakhosi goal.

They managed only six goal attempts, with only two on target from their 48% share of the ball.

It wasn't surprising that Chippa failed to threaten Amakhosi's goal, as it has been their Achilles heel this season. They just struggle to create enough quality scoring opportunities.

Chiefs will now turn their attention to Monday 01 May, where they will host Swallows FC at Peter Mokaba Stadium, with the kick-off at 15:00.

As for Chippa, they will be hoping struggling Richards Bay doesn't rediscover their form when the two sides clash on Wednesday 03 May, at King Zwelithini Stadium, Durban. 

Hire qualified coaches instead of 'clueless' pundits - Says Ramovic.

TS Galaxy head coach, Sead Ramovic, is a man who is not afraid to speak his mind. This time around it is TV pundits who have received a sucker punch from the tactician.

Ramovic, probably angered by the utterings of a certain TV pundit, has come out guns blazing, saying the TV expects must get some football education.

Ramovic went on to mention the likes of Roy Keane and Thierry Henry, who are former players, TV pundits, and highly qualified coaches.

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"Roy Keane, Thierry Henry and Jammie Carragher…top players and experts in England. All of them have the Uefa Pro, so it means top class level for a pundit. What about South Africa? They have someone who played maybe four games for Orlando Pirates and then disappeared. No [football] education, and then he talks about our structure that he hasn’t really seen?," Ramovic told SABC Sport. https://www.sabcsport.com/soccer/news/sead-ramovic-slams-tv-pundits-calls-for-educated-analysis

On the point of hiring qualified unemployed coaches as TV pundits, Ramovic might have a point.

Their analysis could make watching the half-time and post match analysis more educational.

"I then ask myself ‘you don’t have a clue about soccer’. When I watch a lot of games, explanations from him about the game and structure…I hear a lot of nonsense. So it means you have to put the level up. He cannot get a job like this, he’s not at the right level. You have fantastic coaches [in the PSL] with knowledge, but don’t have jobs. Why not let them be the experts that everybody can learn something from?"