Africa-Press – South-Africa. After a well-timed break, Orlando Pirates are determined to continue where they left off when they resume their DStv Premiership campaign against tricky Richards Bay FC on Saturday.
The two sides are set to battle it out at Durban’s King Zwelithini Stadium (3.30pm) with Pirates aiming to move closer to the top of the log while coach Kaitano Tembo’s Natal Rich Boyz continue their fight to move away from the danger zone.
Pirates will miss their star player Thembinkosi Lorch for this match as he has been suspended by the club after being found guilty and received three years’ imprisonment for assaulting his former girlfriend Fundiswa Nokuphiwa Mathithibala, though it was suspended for five years.
Lorch has been suspended until December 12.
Before the Fifa international break, Pirates had their first league back-to-back victories of the season, beating Sekhukhune United and Kaizer Chiefs to move into the top half of the log table.
The Sea Robbers had gone four matches without a win in the league before the 1-0 win over Sekhukhune.
Their hectic schedule also didn’t help their cause as they were playing a game almost every three days. “After a tighter schedule, I think the break has been positive for the players to rest conditionally and mentally,” Pirates assistant coach Sergio Almenara said ahead of the game.
“We have had a good week with a lot of things to work on and I think the team is going to perform well because we have been developing the confidence to perform in a good spirit.
“We are going to give a good performance and get the three points.”
This match is set to be a grudge match as Bay dispatched Pirates from the Carling Knockout Cup quarterfinals early this month.
Just like Pirates, the Natal Rich Boyz went into the break after they got a crucial victory in their fight against the axe. They defeated bottom-of-the-log Cape Town Spurs 1-0 at home to open a six-point gap between themselves and the Urban Warriors.
Bay are above Spurs with nine points from 12 games and a big victory against Pirates will do their cause a lot of good.
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