News | Soccer (4)

WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 26 - 28 April

R8-MILLION SOCCER 13 AND 10 MORE CASH-BOOSTED POOLS TAB is maximising the drama and excitement of the closing weeks of the 2023-24 football season and this weekend 10 TAB soccer pools boast cash boosts via added bonuses or carryovers. Plus there’s a guaranteed R8-million Soccer 13 pot on Sunday, so if betting on soccer is your game don’t look beyond TAB! CITY ARE BACK ON TRACK AND LOOK A BANKER TO WIN It’s another potentially game-changing weekend. Liverpool’s hopes of multiple trophies are in tatters after a midweek defeat in the Merseyside derby, but by contrast Manchester City and Championship log-leaders Leicester seem to have pulled themselves together. After being bundled out of Champions League for the second time in three years by Real Madrid, City were visibly shell shocked and physically drained against Chelsea in their FA Cup semi last weekend, when inept finishing by their London rivals saved them. But the smiles were back against injury-ravaged Brighton on Thursday and they look back on track to win their remaining five league matches and the English Premier League title yet again. They should execute Notts Forest with little difficulty on Sunday, when title-rivals Arsenal have a much more formidable obstacle to negotiate in a North London derby away to Spurs. For the record Arsenal have won 27 of 91 away games to Spurs, but that’s no guide to the likely outcome this time. The current odds look about right with Arsenal 8-10 to win and a Spurs win and the draw both at around 3-1. Both games are included in the day’s R100,000 carryover Soccer 10 and big Soccer 13. Leicester have steadied their ship after heading for the rocks and need to win only one of their two remaining games to secure the title and promotion to the EPL. That they should do away to Preston on Monday night. At home it’s crunch time for Sundowns tonight in their African Champions League semi-final second leg against Esperance of Tunisia. Sundowns trail 1-0 from the first leg in Tunis last week, but have the firepower to turn that around and progress to their third final in 23 years. Sadly, history is not in their favour and they have fluffed their lines too often at the business end of ACL. Overall victory in this semi-final will also guarantee them a slot at the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the USA in June next year. The good news is that if Egypt’s Al Ahly knock out TP Mazembe of the DRC in tonight’s other semi-final, then Sundowns will qualify for the Club World Cup regardless of what happens against Esperance. The match is included in tonight’s R100,000 carryover Soccer 10 in which Cape Town Spurs and Leeds look the best bankers in a pool that could pay big. Sunday’s R8-million Soccer 13 is a real brain teaser. Suggested R192 permutation: 3 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2 x 1 x 1, 2 x 1,2 x 1 x 1,2 x 1 x 1 x 2,3 x 3. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEKEND Real Madrid and Pirates will not at full strength this weekend; Tau may feature for Al Ahly in ACL semi; more bad news for Brighton; Xavi to stay on. * Real Madrid’s Ferland Mendy will miss tonight’s clash at Real Sociedad due to a muscular complaint. The Frenchman is expected to be fit for next week's Champions League semi-final first leg with Bayern Munich. Coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to rest several important players tonight with Nacho, Fran Garcia, Luka Modric, Brahim Diaz and Joselu likely to play. * Percy Tau came on in the second half last Friday for Al Ahly in their Champions League semi-final first leg against Congolese club TP Mazembe in a comeback appearance after an ankle injury. He could be thrust into the starting line-up for the return in Cairo tonight. Emam Ashour and Marwan Attia, however, miss out through injury. The first leg was goalless. * Orlando Pirates have three players suspended for Sunday’s clash away at Royal AM with first-choice goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, left attacker Deon Hotto and midfielder Miguel Timm all sidelined after an accumulation of cautions. The three were among seven Pirates players booked in last weekend’s tempestuous win over AmaZulu in Soweto. * Irish international Evan Ferguson has had his season cut short after initially looking to play through pain caused by an ankle problem. He is one of some nine players on the injury list at Brighton, where Pervis Estupinan has been ruled out for all remaining fixtures this term due to a calf muscle injury. * In January, Xavi Hernández said he would quit as Barcelona’s coach after this season, but the club icon has had a change of heart. He will now serve out his contract, which runs until the end of next season.

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WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 26 - 28 April

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