Orlando Pirates begin their defence of the MTN8 title with a quarter-final match against Polokwane City on Saturday August 3 at Orlando Stadium.
Pirates have won the last three titles, becoming the first team to seal a hat-trick of successive wins, and are looking for an unprecedented fourth crown on the bounce.
Polokwane City, meanwhile, are looking for their first-ever MTN8 win and a place in the semi-final after an unlucky loss to Mamelodi Sundowns last year.
Form guide
Pirates have enjoyed a good pre-season after their tour of Spain yielded one win, two draws and a loss, having started with a 2-0 defeat to English side Bolton Wanderers, followed it up with respective 1-1 and 0-0 draws against Cyprus champions Pafos and Las Palmas from Spain before ending it with a 2-0 victory over Spanish side Granada.
That saw Pirates come back home with an air positivity which they will be looking to benefit from in their first competitive match of the season.
Meanwhile, Polokwane’s pre-season has been quiet as coach Phuti Mohafe and his team have worked behind the scenes with no known matches played during the off-season.
Pirates vs Polokwane head-to-head
Heading into the match, Pirates are considered favourites as they are unbeaten against Rise and Shine in their last nine meetings with the last time Polokwane beat the Buccaneers being in November 2017, when they secured a 3-2 victory on post-match penalties after 2-2 in regulation time, in the Telkom Knockout.
However, across 90 minutes, Polokwane have not beaten Pirates since February 2014, a run of 18 matches, with 10 victories for the Soweto giants, including home and away last season, when they won 3-0 at Orlando Stadium and 1-0 at Peter Mokaba Stadium.
History therefore favours Pirates who should head into the match confident of claiming another win to advance to the semi-finals.
Orlando Pirates team news
Pirates begin the season under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou who has taken over from the fan-favourite Jose Riveiro, who started his reign by winning the MTN8 in 2022, and ensured that the trophy remained at the club for the three years he was in charge.
Meanwhile, 10 new players have been signed in Sipho Mbule, Yanela Mbuthuma, Masindi Nemtajela, Tshepang Moremi, Nkosikhona Ndaba, Sinoxolo Kwayiba, Tshepo Mashiloane, Sihle Nduli, Oswin Appollis, Kamogelo Sibelebele and Azola Tshobeni who will be looking to impress while Mohau Nkota and Innocent Maela are among big names that have left the club.
Pirates, who will play in front of a sold-out stadium, will also be captained by new skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi and it remains to be seen how Ouaddou will select his team with starboy Relebohile Mofokeng expected to be the leading light yet again.
What has been said ahead of the MTN8 clash?
Pirates captain Sibisi is banking on their pre-season preparations and quality in the squad to get them over the line.
“The foundation has been laid during pre-season. We have new players, a new coach, fresh ideas, and also renewed energy from the players who’ve been with the team for the past few seasons,” Sibisi told the media after the MTN8 launch on Wednesday.
“We have quality players in every position, so we just need to work hard and win the MTN8 to set the tone for the rest of the season. Winning it three times in a row, you don’t forget the feeling.
“We want to do it for the fourth time because it’s a feeling you don’t want to lose. We want to defend what’s ours … to be in the club’s history books,” he added.
Polokwane City defender Tlou Nkwe believes they can pull off an upset even if they are the underdogs in the match.
“We are playing them away so it is going to be a test for us but I think we had enough time to prepare and we will be fine. The coach believes in us and the spirit is high and we stand a chance,” said Nkwe.
“The game is going to test us. We want to win; we can’t just go there and be pushovers. However, the pressure is on them because they signed many players who want to prove themselves, along with a new coach.”
Time and where to watch Pirates vs Polokwane
The match will kick off at 15:00 at Orlando Stadium and will be live on SABC and SuperSport TV.
Orlando Pirates predicted lineup
Chaine, Van Rooyen, Sibisi, Mbokazi, Hotto, Mbatha, Mbule, Maswanganyi, Mofokeng, Sebelebele, Makgopa
