SuperSport hopes to continue to spook the Ghosts

For the past two seasons, SuperSport United has always had the upper hand on Orlando Pirates but it remains to be seen whether they will continue to spook the Ghosts into a third season.

And the scene could be set in their MTN8 clash this Saturday [11 August] night at the Orlando Stadium.

SuperSport humiliated the Buccaneers in the Nedbank Cup 2016 with a 3–2 scoreline. A heavy scoreline of 6–1 in the same season in the Absa Premiership prompted the early voluntary departure of Bucs coach Muhsin Ertugral.

The two teams met again in the same cup last year and SuperSport successfully defended their trophy with a huge scoreline of 4–1.

Pirates will be hoping to end the SuperSport voodoo while Matsatsantsa a Pitori [the Bourgeoisie] are looking forward to continuing the winning streak from where they left off.

Newly appointed SuperSport coach Kaitano Tembo reminded the Ghosts that they were the defending champions of the MTN8 and will do just that, start their defence of the trophy come Saturday night.

“Football is always about being successful and pleasing your sponsors and fans alike but it all comes with pressure and we just need to manage that as it is part and parcel of this game we love so much. We want to use the MTN8 to build up for the season,” Tembo said.

His counterpart at Pirates, Milutin Sredojevic said, “We had a lot of hills to climb in the past two seasons against this team and we would not like to see that spill into the third season.

“We shall do everything in our power to ensure smooth sailing and that this season is less on those hills. We have assembled a formidable side that we hope will deliver. We are working on the confidence of keeper Wayne Sandilands, and we also have a 16-year-old youngster [Augustine Mahlonoko] we hope will dazzle the premiership stage,” Sredojevic said.

He hopes Mahlonoko can emulate and fill the striking boots left by some of the legends of the Buccaneers such as Steve Lekoelea and Benedict

‘Tso’ Vilakazi. Mahlonoko has just been promoted from the MultiChoice Diski Challenge side.
“We’re not going to rush him. We will endeavour to ease him in and make his transition a much more bearable experience and then grow him up from there to be in the league of those former Bucs legends,” said the Serbian coach.

Sredojevic said though this SuperSport-Pirates MTN8 match was not an easy clash, he was hopeful his men would make the grade after the 90.

Do you think the Buccaneers will end the SuperSport United voodoo this Saturday?