SuperSport United vs Maritzburg United – our predictions

Phakaaathi’s Jonty Mark and Khaya Ndubane give their views on who will emerge victorious on the day, and why.

Why Maritzburg United will win (Jonty Mark, Phakaaathi Editor)

Fadlu Davids is doing a wonderful job at the Team of Choice, with the only wonder why the former striker was not appointed sooner as the permanent Maritzburg United head coach. United chairman Farouk Kadodia really does appear to have wasted money on the likes of Ernst Middendorp and Roger De Sa, when Davids was always there, waiting in the wings. He is certainly making the most right now of being rewarded with the full time job, after guiding United into the top eight last season in a caretaker capacity. United started the season by stunning Mamelodi Sundowns on their own turf in the MTN8, and have followed that up with two league wins on the trot. Davids’ men have yet to concede a goal, with Siyanda Xulu now integrated into the back four and no doubt determined to show Kaizer Chiefs that they were fools to give him so little game-time. Up front, meanwhile United’s success in keeping Evans Rusike at the club is already paying dividends – the Zimbabwean marksman has three goals in three appearances thus far. Davids has also proved himself an adept tactician, and I just feel United will surprise another Tshwane giant in Atteridgeville on Saturday. Matsatsantsa may have won two of their three games so far under Eric Tinkler, but they haven’t yet fully found their feet, evidenced again as they battled to hold off a ten-man Kaizer Chiefs in the second half in midweek.

Prediction: SuperSport 0 Maritzburg 1

Why SuperSport will win (Khaya Ndubane (Online Content Manager)

Maritzburg might be doing well at the moment, but history will show that the Team of Choice always struggle against SuperSport United. To put it bluntly, Matsatsantsa have always dominated this fixture. In fact, Maritzburg last tasted victory against SuperSport back in October 2014 and I see that dominance continuing tonight. SuperSport, who are on the high after beating Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in their last match, are playing at home in the first leg and coach Eric Tinkler know the importance of registering not only a win, but of also keeping a clean sheet, so that they could be in a better position when they meet again in the second leg. Having rested striker Jeremy Brockie and only bringing him on in the second half during the Chiefs clash, Tinkler will no doubt unleash the New Zealand striker on the solid Maritzburg defence that is yet to concede a goal this season. What’s a better way to break that defence than to score a brace against Maritzburg and I’m sure that thought would be on Brockie’s mind tonight. But even Brockie doesn’t score, Bradley Grobler could do the damage on the day, plus he is on the high after scoring the second goal against Chiefs on Wednesday night.

Prediction: SuperSport 2 Maritzburg 0