Maritzburg United vs Orlando Pirates: Kick off, TV channel, live score, squad news and preview

Maritzburg United will be determined to prolong Orlando Pirates' winless run when the two teams clash in the PSL encounter at Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday.

The Team of Choice recorded their second consecutive defeat in the league when they lost 2-1 to Royal AM away in the KwaZulu-Natal Derby clash on October 3 and they will now face a Pirates side that is desperate for a victory.

The Buccaneers extended their winless run to three matches when they drew 0-0 with Congo-Brazzaville side Diables Noirs in the Caf Confederation Cup match last week Friday and they cannot afford to drop points against a struggling Maritzburg side.

Pirates' co-interim head coaches Fadlu Davids and Mandla Ncikazi know the ins and outs of Maritzburg having both coached the Team of Choice, but they will be up against a more experienced coach in Ernst Middendorp.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

The game will be shown live on SuperSport TV

Squads & Team News

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Maritzburg forward Ali Jose Meza will be missing due to a long-term injury, but the team has been boosted by the availability of left-sided player Mxolisi Kunene, who has recovered from his injury and could feature in this match.

The Team of Choice have no players nor technical team members in the midweek PSL suspension list which is another boost for Middendorp, who will pin the team's hopes of securing a win over Pirates on Bongokuhle Hlongwane.

The South Africa international tends to bring his A-game to big matches having scored the only goal of the match as Bafana Bafana defeated Ghana 1-0 in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier in Johannesburg last month.

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Meanwhile, Pirates will have to find a way to overcome Maritzburg without the services of Innocent Maela, Thembinkosi Lorch, Richard Ofori, and Zakhele Lepasa, who are all out injured, while Vincent Pule recently joined the club's growing injury list.

However, Bucs do not have any suspension concerns and they have enough depth to cope without the quintet with the likes of Paseka Mako, Kabelo Dlamini, Ntsako Makhubela, and Siyabonga Mpontshane looking to make the most out of the missing players' absence.

Davids and Ncikazi will look to Tshegofatso Mabasa, who scored as the Soweto giants defeated Chippa United and Swallows FC this season and the new Bafana international has the ability to single-handedly inspire the Buccaneers to a win in Pietermaritzburg.

Match Preview

In head-to-head stats since the 2005/06 season, Maritzburg and Pirates have clashed in 30 league matches.

The Buccaneers have the upper hand having registered 16 wins compared to six for the Team of Choice, while eight matches ended in draws.

Maritzburg will look to improve their home record against Pirates having won four, lost eight and drawn three from 15 matches as the hosts. 

Pirates collected six points from Maritzburg last season, winning 1-0 at the Harry Gwala Stadium in January 2021 in the first round encounter, before securing a 2-0 home win at Orlando Stadium in April 2021.