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Action is heating up in the PSL and the matches being played around South Africa this weekend will certainly make a difference for some of the teams who are on the brink of either moving up to become contenders, or who are losing the plot and dropping way down in the standings.

Kaizer Chiefs v Bloemfontein Celtic

Kaizer Chiefs will be sporting their 40th Anniversary kit when they tackle Bloemfontein Celtic at the Super Stadium on Saturday night.

After a poor start to the Season Amakhosi have consistently been picking up speed and hope to make this encounter with Bloemfontein Celtic four on the trot which could see the team move up to second in the PSL standings.

Santos v Lamontville Golden Arrows

Santos have the chance to close the gap on SuperSport United when they entertain Golden Arrows at the Coetzenburg Stadium on Saturday night.

The People’s Team are seven points behind Matsatsantsa and will be looking to their home matches as a source for the points to catch them.

Abafana Bes’thende head have struggled of late and will look to put their slump behind them when they travel to the Western Cape.

Arrows currently find themselves ninth in the standings, and they head into the match against title-hopefuls Santos on the back of a defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Free State Stars.

SuperSport United v Jomo Cosmos

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt is refusing to underestimate Jomo Cosmos when they entertain them at Loftus Versfeld Saturday night.

United currently sit seven points clear at the top, and the team will be looking to Anthony Laffor to continue his fine form following the midfielder’s second brace of the season in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Moroka Swallows.

Jomo Sono’s charges are currently rock bottom of the PSL standings with the defending champions sitting pretty seven points clear at the top of the standings.

Hunt will have a fully fit squad to choose from and will welcome back midfielder Jabu Maluleke, who returns from suspension.

Free State Stars v Mpumalanga Black Aces

Mpumalanga Black Aces will be hoping that the addition of new striker Darrel Smith will inspire them to victory over Free State Stars at Goble Park at the weekend.

The Mpumalanga outfit are currently second-from-bottom in the PSL standings, but a win on Saturday will see them leapfrog Stars in the table.

AmaZulu v Mamelodi Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to keep the pressure on SuperSport United with a win over AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The Brazilians are currently in fifth position after their 1-0 win against Bidvest Wits, nine points behind log leaders SuperSport United.

Maritzburg United v Ajax Cape Town

Ajax Cape Town will be looking to affirm their place in the top four of the league when they take on a confident Maritzburg United side at Woodburn Stadium.

The Urban Warriors go into the match on the back of a 0-0 draw against AmaZulu but they will be buoyed by the possibility that a win might move them from fourth to second of the league.

Bidvest Wits v Moroka Swallows

BidVest Wits’ run of 12 matches without a win can no longer be descried as a slump. Roger de Sa’s men face a crisis and must attain a result against Moroka Swallows on Saturday.

The Clever Boys’ atrocious form has seen them free fall down the table and they now lie 14th, just two points clear of second-from-bottom Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Both sides find themselves in the bottom-half of the standings.

Platinum Stars v Orlando Pirates

Platinum Stars coach Steve Komphela is hoping his side will be on the right end of some well-deserved luck on Saturday when Orlando Pirates are the visitors to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

The former Bafana Bafana captain is gaining a reputation for his outbursts against referees. It was his great misfortune therefore when, he was forced to watch as his side went down 3-1 to Kaizer Chiefs on Wednesday due in large part to a dubious penalty decision. Wednesday night’s result was the second time this season against Amakhosi that Komphela could rightly feel aggrieved.

The Buccaneers will be looking for their first away win in over three months when they travel to Platinum Stars for Saturday’s PSL clash in Rustenburg.

Sources and pics: www.football365.co.za and www.soccerladuma.co.za

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To celebrate their 40 Anniversary, Kaizer Chiefs are teaming up with Nike to launch of the club’s 40th Anniversary Special Edition team kit at a celebratory event at Carlton Centre today (Thursday, 10 December from 13:00) in Johannesburg.

Kaizer Chiefs 3 – Platinum Stars 1

Amakhosi will be in a very positive mood at the launch of their new kit after Wednesday night’s goalfest against Platinum Stars at Loftus, which made it nine goals in three matches for the Glamour Boys.

The win moved Amakhosi into third place on goal difference in the ABSA Premiership standings and was the fifth time in six outings that they have picked up maximum points.

Amakhosi Double over Platinum Stars

Wednesday was the first time that Chiefs had completed the double over Platinum Stars having won the first encounter this season

So Kaizer Chiefs go into Saturday’s clash with Bloemfontein Celtic knowing another three points will make them genuine challengers for the title.

Picture: Amakhosi Supporters – soccerladuma.co.za

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This was a high scoring weekend of excitement and upsets at the ABSA Premiership around South Africa – seven goals were scored on Sunday.

Sunday Matches in the ABSA Premiership

Ajax Cape Town 0 – Kaizer Chiefs 3

Kaizer Chiefs showed their class once again at Newlands Stadium on Sunday afternoon when they beat Ajax Cape Town 3-0. Fortunately for them their supporters behaved this time, not like the previous encounter between the two sides at the same venue when Amakhosi fans behaved like true soccer hooligans when their side was unceremoniously dumped out of the MTN8 tournament by the Urban Warriors . OK, the ref was dodgy, but the violence and damage resulted  in Chiefs getting the biggest fine in PSL history.

This time it was a different Kaizer Chiefs that ran onto the pitch and lifted themselves smartly from the bottom of the PSL league. I know that the fans, who will never loose faith in their team will be on a high now, expecting  their team to perform like this for the rest of the season.

Stunning Opening Goal by Kaizer Motaung Jnr

Kaizer Motaung Jnr, who has had to endure boos and ridicule from his own team’s supporters after struggling to find form this season, started Chiefs’ dramatic return to form with a stunning volleyed opening goal in the 29th minute that made keeper Hans Vonk looking like he was standing still, waiting for a taxi.

The other goals were scored by Thabang Rooi and Nkosinathi Nhleko, as the visiting side enjoyed superiority throughout the match.

In fairness to the Cape Town side, however, it needs to be pointed out that the Urban Warriors have a contingent of five players currently in Egypt with the South African team at the World Under-20 championships and some others on suspension.

Bidvest Wits – Jomo Cosmos 1

Bidvest Wits fortunes in the PSL continued to soar after they beat struggling Jomo Cosmos 3-1 in a hard fought clash at Milpark on Sunday.

Clever Boys Great Season Continues

The win sees the Clever Boys enjoy one of the best starts to a Premier Soccer League season.

Coach Roger De Sa’s men are in second spot with the same points as Bloemfontein Celtic – 17 points from their nine)fixtures, only two adrift of leaders Orlando Pirates. (Wits have a better goal difference than Celtic).

Fabricio Rodrigues, Calvin Kadi and Marawaan Bantam scored for the Students, while Koena Mathopa countered for Ezenkosi.

Saturday Matches Absa Premier Leagues

SuperSport United 1 Golden Arrows 1

SuperSport United and Golden Arrows  drew 1-1 at the Super Stadium on Saturday night.  It was Arrows’ seventh draw in 10 league fixtures played so far this season and the result ended United’s three match winning streak

Free State Stars 0 – Orlando Pirates 0

Free State Stars managed to hold league leaders Orlando Pirates to a 0-0 draw at the Charles Mopeli Stadium on Saturday.

Bloemfontein Celtic 2 – Platinum Stars 1

Bloemfontein Celtic continued their impressive unbeaten run by claiming the three points from their encounter with Platinum Stars at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday evening.

AmaZulu FC 2 – 1  Moroka Swallows

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Photo: Kaizer Motaung Jnr - Kickoff

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Well Ajax Cape Town didn’t quite get the three goal haul against Platinum Stars that they hoped for at the Moruleng Stadium last night, but the Urban Warriors managed a remarkable 1 – 0 victory over the misfiring Tycoons in an Absa Premiership match.

Ajax Cape Town 1 – Platinum Stars 0

Platinum Stars launched the ball at the goal enough times to no avail.

Ajax striker Dipsy Selolwane scored the only goal of the game in the second half to give the visitors three points.

Stars Let Down by Their Finishing

Just like they have done in the past four games where they failed to score, Stars looked impressive in their general play only to be let down by their finishing.

In the closing stages Stars threw everything they had at Ajax but they just could not beat their defence and remain in 14th place while the winners move up to third on the Premiership table.

Golden Arrows 1- AmaZulu 0

At the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban, it was a repeat of the two Wafa Wafa matches, when Golden Arrows took down AmaZulu 1-0.

AmaZulu coach Neil Tovey’s disastrous season continues. Richard Henyekane scored the only goal of the game to give Arrows their third victory against AmaZulu this season.

AmaZulu’s Sixth Defeat

According the PSL website, Tovey’s men did come agonizingly close to salvaging a point three minutes from time. Former Black Leopards striker Myron Shongwe rose above the Arrows defence to head home a Marc Van Heerden cross but it hit the woodwork.

This was AmaZulu’s sixth defeat of the season and they are bottom of the Premiership table with only five points.

Photo: Dipsy Selolwane, Ajax Striker – PSL Website

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Two midweek matches take place to kick off Gameweek 9 in the PSL ABSA Premiership. AmaZulu will play Golden Arrows in a local derby at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban and Ajax Cape Town will travel to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium to meet Platinum Stars.

AmaZulu v Golden Arrows

Wednesday night at the wet Chatsworth Stadium is a good night for a local derby as AmaZulu will be looking to avenge the two defeats they suffered at the hands of Golden Arrows in the MTN8.
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Usuthu were beaten by their neighbours twice in the space of six days in the cup and now have the chance make up for the losses and gain some vital points in the process.

On the AmaZulu website, Coach Neil Tovey says he is hopeful of a better showing from his troops on Wednesday evening.

“We have had a chat with the players – the whole technical team in trying to iron out the negativity. I believe the talk came out well and will benefit the team.

“Going into the derby, we know we need to work to collectively for the club. We have been playing good football lately, except for Sunday’s match, now we just need to convert that into points.

Platinum Stars v Ajax Cape Town

Platinum Stars will take their bow at the newly-renovated and FIFA World Cup training venue, Moruleng Stadium on Wednesday night as they welcome Ajax Cape Town for a crucial Absa Premiership clash. The Tycoons and The Urban Warriors will be looking to secure a three-point haul for very different reasons tonight.

The Tycoons are struggling at the wrong end of the table and are in desperate need of a win, while the Urban Warriors have the chance to move into second place.

There is positive news on the injury front for Coach Steve Komphela, who has defender Oscar Ntwagae and striker Simba Marumo in his squad for the game.

Ajax Have a Player Crisis

Ajax, meanwhile, have something of player crises with injuries, suspensions, and absentees on international duty with the Under-20 side at the World Cup in Egypt seriously limiting their squad.

“We did not have ten players against Sundowns and the players who were there represented the club very well and we managed to win away from home. The players were confident and everyone who wears the Ajax jersey does so with pride and responsibility,” Coach Muhsin Ertugral said.

Ertugral added that he is happy to continue playing the games at the moment rather than having postponements that will leave him with fixture congestion later in the campaign.

Both Matches kick off at 19.30

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