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2023/24 DStv Premiership
Matchday 13
25-26 November 2023
Cape Town City have a chance to go top of the table in the
DStv Premiership with Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United on continental duties this weekend.
The domestic season gets back underway after the opening two rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and Orlando Pirates will be seeking their third win on the spin against Richards Bay at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Buccaneers halted a four-match winless run when they beat Sekhukhune United 1-0 on November 7 and followed it up with a 1-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby four days later to move up to seventh in the standings.
The Natal Rich Boyz (15th) boosted their survival hopes as they edged Cape Town Spurs 1-0 on November 12 to close within two points of safety, having arrested a five-game winless sequence in the process.
AmaZulu will be looking to build on their first win in five matches when they welcome Stellenbosch to the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Usuthu claimed the local derby spoils with a 3-1 triumph over Golden Arrows last time out to climb up to eighth position, one point ahead of the Maroons, who dropped down to 11th in the table following a goalless draw with Chippa United on November 11, which extended their unbeaten run to three games.
Then a couple of hours later, Ernst Middendorp kicks off his Cape Town Spurs tenure with a home clash against Royal AM at the Cape Town Stadium.
Middendorp returned to South Africa on November 17 after a brief spell in Tanzania with Singida Big Stars when he took over the reins from interim coach Sean Connor, who will move back to his role as Spurs technical director.
The Urban Warriors are rooted to the foot of the table after losing 10 of their opening 11 fixtures, while Thwihli Thwahla find themselves seven points better off in 14th spot following a 2-0 defeat to cape Town City on November 10 - their fifth loss in six outings.
Cape Town City will look to continue their resurgence in the league when they take on Golden Arrows at the Mpumalanga Stadium on Sunday in the late kick-off.
The Citizens won just two of their opening seven encounters, but have emerged as title contenders after recording five victories on the trot to surge up to third place, one point behind SuperSport United (2nd) and a further one adrift of league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have four games in hand on the packing pack.
Abafana Bes'thende made a flying start to the season, winning six of their opening nine games before back-to-back defeats against Royal AM and AmaZulu saw them drop to fourth in standings, two points behind Eric Tinker's side.
Tinkler has warned City against complacency after Arrows eliminated them in the opening round of the Carling Knockout on October 21.
"We come up against a team that has always been a very difficult opponent for us even though over past seasons we have beaten them, the games were always extremely tough, not easy," Tinkler said.
"Recently we obviously lost to them in the Carling [Knockout] Cup but we come off the back of five wins so we need to go into this game with a lot of belief, confidence, morale but at the same time don't show any complacency."
In one of two matches taking place earlier in the day, Moroka Swallows host Kaizer Chiefs at the Dobsonville Stadium in another Soweto derby.
The Dube Birds (5th) have made an impressive start to life under Steve Komphela, with a 0-0 draw against Polokwane City on November 11 extending their unbeaten run to five games. Amakhosi interim coach Cavin Johnson will be determined to bounce back from their defeat to arch-rivals Pirates, having picked up the first win of his tenure against Cape Town Spurs on November 8.
Chiefs owner Kaizer Motaung has pleaded with the club's passionate fans to be patient as Johnson and company attempt to revive fortunes at Naturena.
"What our fans need is a little bit of patience," Motaung said. "I understand what they go through in terms of being too emotional about the team not being able to achieve results.
"Patience should be put forward and they must understand things will not be the same. They can only get better from now on."
Polokwane City will look to quickly move on from the shock departure of Lehlohonolo Seema when they meet TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium.
Seema was unveiled as Sekhukhune United's new head coach on November 20, which came as a surprise given the good start he had made with Rise And Shine, who lost just three of their opening nine matches and are unbeaten in their last seven to sit sixth in the table.
The Rockets (13th) are in the midst of a poor run of form after a 1-0 loss to Swallows was their third defeat in five outings.
DStv Premiership matchday 13 fixtures:
Saturday, November 25
15h30: AmaZulu v Stellenbosch
15h30: Richards Bay v Orlando Pirates
17h45: Cape Town Spurs v Royal AM
Sunday, November 26
15h30: Moroka Swallows v Kaizer Chiefs
15h30: TS Galaxy v Polokwane City
17h45: Golden Arrows v Cape Town City
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