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Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer is preparing for a “special DStv Premiership tie” in the first round of the 2020-21 season when his team takes on defending table champions Mamelodi Sundowns in Loftus Stadium on Saturday.
The Premiership returns from their Christmas holidays with a duel between two of the favorites for the title and a match known to produce fireworks.
Sundowns have won the championship in the last three seasons and some of those six league matches in those campaigns between these two South African soccer giants were exciting and close. The Bucs won two ‚Sundowns only one‚ while the other three ‚including the last one in the bio-bubble towards the end of last season‚ ended in goalless draws.
While Zinnbauer has yet to savor a loss to Sundowns after planning a 1-0 first-round win last season in January, he accepted that the Brazilians are off to a better start (five wins and three draws versus the Bucs , fifth place ‘three wins and four draws) in the league this season.
“We know that Sundowns possibly has some of the best players on their team,” said the German coach, who ended the Bucs’ trophy drought by winning MTN8 this month.
“They have a great, great team and we know it. And we also have a good squad and it’s a special match for us.
“The sunsets are up and we are behind and, ha, we have a chance to get closer to the sunsets and get closer to the top of the table. This is important to us, but first we must have a good game and a good performance.
“If we perform well, we have a chance of winning the game.”
While Zinnbauer will miss injured forward Zakhele Lepasa, he is happy that the player who scored the winning goal against the Brazilians in January, Gabadinho Mhango, is available. The Malawian has recovered from injury and played the full 90 minutes in Bucs’ 1-0 win against Sagrada Esperance in a first round match of the Caf Confederation Cup in Angola last week.
“‘Gaba’ [Mhango] he’s close to 100% and now he needs time and games, ”Zinnbauer said of the Malawian forward who scored 16 league goals for the Pirates last season.
“We have seven games in January and we need all the players. Gaba is not the only important player for us, but all players.
“We have so many attacking players. We have [Terrence] Dzvukamanja, who can also play as a forward.
“We have a good squad, but the point is that we need a good player for each and every position.”
The Sundowns / Pirates game will start at 3.30pm on Saturday. The PSL confirmed on Wednesday that the match between Maritzburg United and Bloemfontein Celtic, also on Saturday, will now start at 5.30pm as per Covid-19 level 3 regulations announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night.
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