Orlando Pirates target fourth straight win against Kruger United

Orlando Pirates will look to strengthen their position at the top of the Betway Premiership when they face newly promoted Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.

The Buccaneers are pursuing a fourth consecutive league victory and could move to 13 points with another win. That would consolidate their place at the summit and give them a crucial three-point lead over rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.

Kruger United, meanwhile, are bottom of the table in 16th place with one point from their opening fixtures. A first top-flight victory would take them to four points and could lift them out of the automatic relegation places, depending on their goal difference.

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Rayaan Jacobs said his side were focused on building on their latest performance while managing the demands of a busy schedule.

“Yes, the next fixture is against Kruger United, the new boys in the league. For us it’s to build on the performance from Saturday with a good result, good performance,” Jacobs told the club’s media.

Jacobs acknowledged that the match could prove difficult, particularly because Kruger United have had more time to prepare. Although the fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, he referred to it as being on Saturday when discussing the challenge and the team’s preparations.

“We know it will be a tricky fixture on Saturday. Our main objective is to recover. We understand Kruger probably had a week to prepare, but our objective is to get ready and collect all three points on the road.”

The Pirates go into the match as early title contenders after their strong start to the campaign. They will also be aiming to maintain the momentum generated by their recent run of league victories.

Kruger United will attempt to use home advantage to secure a landmark result in their first season in the top flight. The newcomers are still searching for their first victory since promotion and need points urgently as they try to move away from the relegation places.

The contest at Mbombela Stadium is scheduled to begin at 19:30. A win for Orlando Pirates would further underline their early challenge at the top of the Betway Premiership, while three points for Kruger United could provide a significant boost to their survival hopes.