PSL Betting Guide New Year’s Weekend

After a two-month wait, PSL football returns this weekend with a full round of fixtures scheduled. In case anyone needs reminding, Sundowns are top of the league table, and were on a six-game winning run before the World Cup interruption. Newly promoted Richards Bay leads SuperSport, Chiefs, and Pirates just behind. Maritzburg and Sekhukhune anchor the table, 17 points behind the league leaders. As usual, our betting guide helps make sense of what to possibly expect this weekend.

Mamelodi Sundowns (1st) v Orlando Pirates (5th)

Sundowns were looking ominous before the break, having strung together six wins on the trot in the league. In fact, you can make that nine wins from 11 across all competitions. A closer look shows Orlando Pirates responsible for the two games they failed to win, including a comprehensive 3-0 result on their way to lifting the MTN8 title. That, and Pirates’ upturn in fortunes since Jose Riveiro took over, may be enough to suggest that this will be a closer game than the four & three-goal victories Downs have enjoyed in this fixture lately. However, the bookies make Sundowns overwhelming favourites (Pirates as long as 5/1 for a win) and that may have to do with the champions’ league form.

4 – Sundowns have won each of the last four league fixtures against Pirates, and are one win away from equalling their best-ever league run against the Buccaneers.

Cape Town City (13th) v Royal AM (9th)

The Western Cape has not been a happy hunting ground for Royal AM since they joined the top-flight. Friday will be their fourth visit to the coast and they are yet to return home with three points (D2 L1). That said, they have managed Over 0.5 goals on each visit, and will hope to maintain that streak at least. City are favoured to win this by the bookies, despite being three points and four places below Royal AM in the league. Their home form may be an influence to this, as they have proved hard to beat when at home, and the xG table suggests they have been the most unlucky team this season.

20 – This will be the 20th home game for City since October last year, and they have lost just once (v Sundowns) in that time (W10 D8).

Supersport United (3rd) v Marumo Gallants (11th)

The odds are with SuperSport to win here and they could end the day in 2nd spot with a home win. Dan Malesela has a decent record against SuperSport, and by descent, we mean just one defeat, although he boasts five draws. At 2.70/1, a draw looks decent, but SuperSport’s home form may sway many towards the home win. Only Sundowns (15) have won more points on their own turf than SuperSport (12), and only two teams have scored more at home than the 10 goals they’ve managed. Their guests struggle to score on the road too, failing to score in eight of the last 10 away games.

0 – SuperSport are yet to lose a home game this season, a record they share only with Marumo Gallants.

Y

Golden Arrows (8th) v Kaizer Chiefs (4th)

This is the only game this weekend in which the away team are placed as favourites to win. Looking at recent away results, one can understand why. Kaizer Chiefs have won their last three away from home, and have not gone on a better away run in over three years (won six straight under Ernst Middendorp in late 2019). However, it may be easy to forget that Arrows completed the double over Chiefs last season, including a come from behind win in April. That 2-1 result was the 3rd time in four matches that both teams had scored in this tie, and goals could be seen this Saturday too.

3 – Kaizer Chiefs have lost each of the last three away matches played in KZN, scoring just once in that time.