WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 13 - 15 Sep
TENS OF MILLIONS TO BE WON ON A MUST-PLAY WEEKEND
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April 2024
KEY MATCHES GALORE AND SIX ADDED POOLS
The 2023-24 football season is in the home straight and TAB soccer pools are full of key league clashes this weekend, as well as the final of the Spanish Cup and Sundowns aiming to reach the African Champions League semi-final. Even better news is added cash from TAB in a range of pools.
STAGE FRIGHT A WORRY BUT BANK ON SUNDOWNS
Sundowns look a banker bet to win in tonight’s R100,000-added Soccer 10 barring their history of stage fright come the knockout stages of African Champions League. This time round though Sundowns should progress to the semis and onto their first appearance in an ACL final since 2016.
They drew 0-0 away against Young Africans of Tanzania in the first leg last weekend and are now in the driving seat with home advantage in the return leg. Coach Rulani Mokwena rested all of his key players on Tuesday, when they edged struggling Richards Bay 1-0 in the league, and they will come in fresh tonight. The game is M2 in tonight’s cash-boosted Soccer 10 which should go close to totalling R2 million!
Tomorrow the battle for second place in the DStv Premiership continues, as well as the struggles for a top-eight finish and to avoid relegation. Stellenbosch host Sekhukhune United as they look to extend their unbeaten run to 20 matches, which has propelled them into second spot in the league. They have a healthy four-point gap over third-placed Sekhukhune, who were held at home by Cape Town City on Tuesday after winning six of their previous 10 games.
Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United also lost ground midweek when they both drew and TS Galaxy moved up into the top eight. Pirates are expected to return to winning ways at home to Golden Arrows tomorrow, while it is going to be a lot tougher for SuperSport who host Galaxy in tomorrow night’s late game.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEKEND
SHORT: Sibisi banned for two games after seeing red; reserve goalies get their chance in Spain; changes at CT Spurs; no Berardi for Sassuolo; Samir still a force.
* Bafana defender Nkosinathi Sibisi has been squeezed out at Pirates this season by the club’s other centre-backs Olisah Ndah and Thapelo Xoki, but got a chance to play against Swallows midweek. Unfortunately, an angry outburst at the referee in the last minute of the 1-1 draw earned him an unnecessary red card and a two-match suspension. So he misses tomorrow’s home game against Arrows and the Nedbank Cup quarter-final against AmaZulu a week later.
* Copa del Rey finalists Athletic Bilbao and Mallorca are expected to stay with their reserve goalkeepers for tomorrow’s decider in Sevilla, having played them throughout the Spanish cup campaign. Thus Julen Agirrezabala will be in goal for favourites Bilbao and Dominik Greif for Mallorca, who have won the trophy only once in their 108-year history.
* Struggling Cape Town Spurs, who host champions Sundowns on Tuesday, have released 40-year-old defender Clayton Daniels. He was offered a chance to stay on as a coach at the club, but said he wanted to continue playing. Also gone after a spat with coach Ernst Middendorp is technical director Sean Connor, who lasted some six months in the job.
* For tonight’s trip to bottom-placed Salernitana, Sassuolo will likely be without talismanic attacker Domenico Berardi, who has missed their last three games through injury after only recently returning from a previous layoff. He has netted nine league goals this term, having exceeded 10 in Serie A in each of the previous four seasons. In his absence the chief attacking responsibility will again fall on Andrea Pinamonti, who has also scored nine goals in Italy's top league this campaign.
* Xabi Alonso is staying at Bundesliga log-leaders Bayer Leverkusen next season. The 42-year-old Spaniard has Leverkusen on course for a trophy treble, including the club’s first German league title. Alonso, seen by many as Liverpool’s top target to replace Jurgen Klopp, said he was still developing as a coach and felt Leverkusen was the best place for him to continue growing.
* Samir Nurkovic’s knee problems mean he is no longer a 90-minute player, but he is proving effective for TS Galaxy in the time he is on the pitch. Last Sunday he made a rare start in the 2-0 win over AmaZulu and scored before going off after 75 minutes with the job done.
SOCCER 10 POOL OF THE WEEKEND
Friday 5 April S10 V3
SOCCER 10 V3 SUGGESTED BET:
| M1: Dordrecht vs De Graafschap | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Dordrecht are fourth in the Dutch second division, two points up on sixth-placed De Graafschap. Their last clash in December ended in a 1-1 draw. | |||
| M2: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Young Africans | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| A no-score draw away in last Saturday’s first leg in Dar-es-Salaam means Sundowns have the advantage in the return leg of this African Champions League quarter-final. | |||
| M3: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Bundesliga clash. Eintracht are unbeaten in their last four home matches against Bremen with two wins and two draws. | |||
| M4: Bohemians vs Waterford | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| The visitors were 2-1 winners on their last trip to the Bohemians two years ago. Waterford have made a strong start to the new Irish Premier Division season after winning promotion. | |||
| M5: KV Mechelen vs St Truiden | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Belgian First Division A. Mechelen have won five of their last six matches, while St Truiden have lost their last five away assignments. | |||
| M6: St. Patrick’s Athletic vs Shamrock Rovers | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Reigning Irish champions Rovers have won four in a row over St Pats and are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with their Dublin neighbours. | |||
| M7: Salernitana vs Sassuolo | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| The two sides at the bottom of the Serie A log. Salernitana are 10 points behind Sassuolo and look as good as relegated, but their rivals still have high hopes of beating the drop. | |||
| M8: Lille vs Olympique de Marseille | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Lille are up to fourth in France’s Ligue 1 after a run of six games without defeat. Marseille won five in a row before faltering and losing their last three. | |||
| M9: Farense vs Boavista | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Farense are on a nine-match winless run. Boavista’s last away game resulted in a 6-1 thumping from Portuguese Primeira Liga leaders Sporting. | |||
| M10: Velez Sarsfield vs Argentinos Juniors | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Argentina Liga Profesional. Juniors are the early log-leaders and are unbeaten in their previous four clashes against Velez Sarsfield. | |||
Suggested R144 perm: 1,2 x 1 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 1 x 1
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Saturday 6 April S10 V1
SOCCER 10 V1 SUGGESTED BET:
| M1: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| The visitors are unbeaten in their last nine visits to Selhurst Park, conceding only two goals in the process. That will encourage many to make them a banker to win in this R100,000-added Soccer 10. | |||
| M2: Norwich City vs Ipswich Town | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| East Anglia derby and the outcome is crucial for both sides as they push for promotion. Ipswich top the Championship log with Norwich 23 points behind in sixth place. | |||
| M3: Chippa United vs Kaizer Chiefs | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Chippa have home advantage but history suggests that may not count for much. Chiefs have come out tops on their last four visits to the Eastern Cape to take on Chippa. | |||
| M4: Richards Bay vs Moroka Swallows | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Relegation looms for Richards Bay, who last won a home game when they beat SuperSport United in December. Swallows won at Cape Town Spurs on Sunday in their last away game. | |||
| M5: Aston Villa vs Brentford | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Villa are still in contention for a Champions League place next season and beat Brentford 2-1 away in their last clash in December. | |||
| M6: Everton vs Burnley | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Relegation scrap. Everton have scored three goals in their last two home games against Burnley. The visitors have picked up five valuable points in their last three and will want more here. | |||
| M7: Fulham vs Newcastle United | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Eddie Howe’s team have six wins and a draw from their last seven clashes with Fulham. | |||
| M8: Luton Town vs Bournemouth | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Relegation-threatened Luton have one point from their last five home games. Bournemouth’s last away game was a 2-0 success at Burnley. | |||
| M9: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs West Ham United | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| West Ham have won seven and Wolves the other six of the last 13 matches between the two. Their last draw was in 2010. | |||
| M10: Orlando Pirates vs Lamontville Golden Arrows | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Pirates have lost only once in their last 14 clashes with Arrows. | |||
Suggested R96 perm: 3 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 1,2 x 1 x 1 x 2,3 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 1
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