TAB WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 10 - 12 APRIL 2026

FASCINATING FOOTBALL AND A R23-MILLION SOCCER 13

Welcome to a fascinating weekend of football loaded with great chances for TAB customers to score big wins. Saturday’s guaranteed R23-million Soccer 13 pot for all-13-correct entries heads TAB’s menu of soccer bets for the weekend and matches range from African Champions League semi-finals to critical games in the English Premier League.

SUNDOWNS NEED TO HOLD THEIR NERVE IN TUNISIA

Tshwane outfit Mamelodi Sundowns, long the dominant force in domestic football, are in the ACL semi-finals for a fourth successive year with the first-leg tie away at Esperance of Tunisia on Sunday.

Sundowns and Al Ahly of Egypt hold the record of 11 successive Champions League group campaigns. And in only one of those competitions have Sundowns failed to get past the group phase and into the last eight.

But comes the business end of the competition and they choke with the result that their sole success in Africa’s premier club competition was back in 2016.

Three years ago they scored 14 goals in their six group games and destroyed their rivals in the quarter-finals. They looked well on their way to the final after drawing 0-0 away with Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of the semi-final, but were eliminated on the away-goal rule after an own goal and a 2-2 draw in the return match at Loftus Versfeld.

In the 2024 semi-final, they were beaten home and away by Esperance and last year they made the final, in which they started hot favourites and promptly fluffed their lines against Egypt’s Pyramids.

This could be the year for them to put those defeats behind them and their first objective must be to return home from Sunday’s first leg in Tunis with a draw, in which an away goal would be priceless (M8 in the day’s second Soccer 10). That would set them up for the return leg in Tshwane next weekend.

SUNDAY SOCCER 10 LOADED WITH KEY CLASHES

Sunday’s first Soccer 10 kicks off with R200,000 in the kitty from TAB and contains pivotal matches in the local Betway Premiership and English Premier League.

The battle for third place on the PSL log, which gives a berth in next season’s African Confederation Cup, is hotting up with Kaizer Chiefs only marginally ahead after they won in Gqeberha on Monday. They should make it four wins in a row at Soccer City on Sunday when they host TS Galaxy, who have lost four of their last five league games. The clash is M2 in the Soccer 10.

The pool also contains key games in the battle to avoid relegation locally and in England. Orbit College’s away clash with Marumo Gallants (M9 in Soccer 10) should be a nail-biter with both desperately needing three points after three successive losses. They currently have only 18 points apiece and sit second and third last in the table.

DE ZERBI STEPS INTO RELEGATION WAR ZONE

Far away in in the UK Spurs’ fans will have knots in their stomachs as their injury-riddled team ventures north to Sunderland with new manager Roberto de Zerbi in charge for the first time.

It’s an intriguing clash. Spurs, one of the most famous clubs in the world, are facing the prospect of being relegated for the first time in half a century and desperately need points from their last seven games. De Zerbi’s good, really good, but finds himself involved in an EPL relegation war for the first time in his career - something he would have preferred to avoid.

Will he go ultra-defensive and hope to snatch goals in counter attacks or has he spent his few days in charge attuning what players are fit to his favoured style of possession football and playing out slowly from the back, tactics designed to encourage rivals to press high and open space behind them.

In the same Soccer 10 pool you will find two other critical games - Chelsea and Notts Forest at home to Manchester City and Aston Villa respectively. Chelsea need points to stay in the hunt for a Champions League slot next season as do title-chasers City, who will hope Arsenal choke against south-coast visitors Bournemouth on Saturday.

Forest, just two points above Spurs in the relegation battle, and fourth-placed Villa both need points at different ends of the table so you can count on another hard-fought clash.

TWO BANKER BETS FOR MEGA SOCCER 13 POOL

Saturday’s cash-heavy Soccer 13 is challenging with big rewards for those who gets all 13 correct. Arsenal, Brighton and Liverpool are odds-on to win their games but you wouldn’t to bet your house on them. Arsenal were in Portugal midweek and Bournemouth are tricky, while Liverpool are stuttering and Brighton have chucked away points carelessly this season. Best banker options in the pool look to be home victories for Southampton and Middlesbrough.

All in all grand soccer action and multiple chances to cash in on your soccer knowledge, starting tonight with a R200,000-added Soccer 10.

MATCH PREVIEWS FOR TWO R200,000-ADDED SOCCER 10 BETS

Fri 10 April – S10 V1

M1 Paris FC vs Monaco: First of three R200,000-added Soccer 10 bets through the weekend. Paris FC are unbeaten in six Ligue 1 games, while Monaco are on a five-game winning streak. The last meeting between the teams saw Paris FC win 1-0 away. Monaco are fifth in the table with 49 points, 17 ahead of 13th-placed Paris FC.

M2 Richards Bay vs Orlando Pirates: Richards Bay ended a three-game losing streak in the Betway Premiership when beating Stellenbosch midweek, while Pirates are unbeaten in their last six games. Pirates won the last clash with Richards Bay, their sixth victory in the last 10 encounters, and are second in the league with 53 points, 28 more than their 11th-placed rivals after 23 games. For Pirates this is a must-win contest this as they seek to end Sundowns’ domination of local soccer.

M3 Augsburg vs Hoffenheim: Hoffenheim travel to face Augsburg, who are winless in their last four Bundesliga games. Hoffenheim are on a three-game losing streak in all competitions, but won the last meeting with Augsburg 3-0 and are fifth on 50 points, 18 ahead of their 11th-placed rivals.

M4 Colchester United vs Swindon Town: Colchester have lost five of their last nine League Two games, while Swindon are unbeaten in their last five. The teams drew 0-0 in October in their last clash. Swindon are fifth with 74 points, 17 ahead of 13th-placed Colchester.

M5 Sporting Charleroi vs Antwerp: Conference League Playoff group game in Belgium in which both lost their opening games. Charleroi won the last meeting 2-0 away but finished a point behind 10^th-placed Antwerp in the main league.

M6 CR Belouizdad vs Zamalek: African Confederation Cup semi-final first leg. Belouizdad have avoided defeat in nine of their last 10 games and Zamalek have won seven of their last 10. The teams last met three years ago with Belouizdad winning 2-0.

M7 Real Madrid vs Girona: Madrid have won seven of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Girona have avoided defeat in seven of their last 10 LaLiga fixtures. The last meeting between them ended 1-1 last November. Madrid are second on the log with 69 points, 32 ahead of 12th-placed Girona.

M8 West Bromwich Albion vs Millwall: West Brom are unbeaten in their last six English Championship games, while Millwall have won six of their last 10. Millwall won the last meeting 3-0 in October and are fourth with 72 points, 27 ahead of 20th-placed West Brom.

M9 West Ham United vs Wolverhampton: Relegation-zone West Ham need points pronto after losing their last two, while Wolves have not won in seven of their last 10. West Ham are 18^th in the EPL with 29 points, 12 ahead of consistently last Wolves, who did win the last clash between the sides 3-0 in January.

M10 Famalicao vs Moreirense: Famalicao are unbeaten in six games, while Moreirense are winless in their last six. The last meeting between them ended 2-2. Famalicao are fifth with 46 points, 11 ahead of eighth-placed Moreirense in Portugal’s top league.

Sat 11 Apr – S10 V3

M1 Cagliari vs Cremonese: Saturday’s best Soccer 10 starts with a R200,000 cash bonus from TAB in the kitty, so get set for a big pool. Cagliari are winless in their last eight Serie A games, while Cremonese have lost eight of their last 10. The teams last met in January and drew 2-2. Cagliari are 16th with 30 points, three ahead of 17th-placed Cremonese after 31 games.

M2 Golden Arrows vs Durban City: Arrows were unbeaten in three games before being trounced by Pirates midweek, while City have won seven of their last 10 matches and progressed to the Nedbank Cup final last weekend. They went onto to lose 1-0 to Sundowns midweek. City are sixth in the league, seven points ahead of eighth-placed Arrows after 23 games.

M3 Siwelele FC vs AmaZulu: Siwelele suffered their first defeat in six games when losing to Chippa 1-0 midweek, while AmaZulu are unbeaten in their last four. AmaZulu won the last meeting 2-0 in November and are fourth on the log with 38 points, 12 ahead of 10th-placed Siwelele.

M4 Torino vs Hellas Verona: Torino have lost five of their last nine games, while Verona are on a three-game losing streak in Serie A. Torino won the last 3-0 away in January and are 12th with 36 points, 18 ahead of 19th-placed Verona after 31 games.

M5 Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen: Dortmund are on a four-game winning streak in Bundesliga, while Leverkusen have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine. Dortmund are second with 64 points, 15 ahead of sixth-placed Leverkusen, who won their last meeting with Dortmund 1-0 away in the German cup.

M6 Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt: Wolfsburg are winless in 10 Bundesliga games, while Frankfurt have failed to win in seven of their last 10 matches in all competitions. The last meeting between them ended 1-1. Frankfurt are seventh in Bundesliga, 18 points ahead of 17th-placed Wolfsburg.

M7 Elche vs Valencia: Elche have lost five of their last nine matches and Valencia six of their last 10 in all competitions. The teams last met in January and drew 1-1. Valencia are 14th with 35 points, six ahead of 18th-placed Elche after 30 games.

M8 Brentford vs Everton: Brentford are winless in four games, while Everton have won three of their last four EPL matches. The teams last met in January when Brentford won 4-2 away. Brentford are seventh and Everton eighth in the PLS, both on 46 points after 31 games.

M9 Burnley vs Brighton: Burnley are winless in their last six games, while Brighton have won four of their last five league fixtures. Brighton won the last meeting 2-0 in January and are 10th on 43 points, 23 ahead of 19th-placed Burnley.

M10 Sekhukhune United vs Magesi: Sekhukhune are winless in their last six games but Magesi ended a 10-game winless run when trouncing Gallants 3-0 midweek. Sekhukhune won the last meeting 1-0 away and are fifth with 35 points on the PSL log, 18 ahead of 16th-placed Magesi.