WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 3 - 5 May

SOCCER 13 BOASTS GUARANTEED POT OF R26 MILLION!

Some of the major leagues are already decided, but there are still three weekends to go in the English Premier League with intense battles ahead and chances galore to win big cash on TAB soccer bets, notable a guaranteed R26-million Soccer 13 pool on Saturday and cash-added Soccer 10s tonight and tomorrow.

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP MATCHES OFFER SOCCER 13 BANKERS

Tomorrow’s mega Soccer 13 is a challenging combination of matches from different leagues and includes four EPL contests and an English League One semi-final playoff between Oxford and Peterborough. That will be a real scrap, but the EPL matches offer potential bankers in Manchester City and Brentford to win at home and Nottingham Forest to come out tops away against already doomed Sheffield United, who head back to the Championship jungle next season after one season in the top flight.

Suggested R288 permutation for Saturday’s mega Soccer 13: 1 x 1 x 2,3 x 3 x 1,2,3 x 2,3 x 2,3 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 3 x 1 x 2,3 x 1.

At home there’s much excitement about Sunday’s Nedbank Cup semi-final in which Stellenbosch host Mamelodi Sundowns. It is a meeting between the two form sides in South African football and also the two teams at the top of the standings. Stellenbosch go into the game on the back of a remarkable 25-match unbeaten run that stretches back to last September, when Sundowns beat them 3-1 in Pretoria. They have not lost since and sit comfortably in second place in the PSL table.

Sundowns have already clinched the title and on Monday equalled Kaizer Chiefs’ 1991 mark of 23 unbeaten matches from the start of the season. But last season one of their few setbacks came at the feet of Steve Barker’s side, who beat them 3-1 at the Danie Craven Stadium in April last year in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final.

Tomorrow’s first semi-final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium sees visitors Orlando Pirates start overwhelming favourites against Chippa United, who have lost their last two games against AmaZulu and Moroka Swallows after leading in both. Pirates, by contrast, are looking slick and are much improved in recent months under Spanish coach Jose Riveiro.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEKEND

Maswanganyi back for Pirates; Luton’s injury woes continue; Chippa boosted by return of two players; Emery to stay at Villa.

* Orlando Pirates’ new signing Thabiso Lebitso will miss out on a reunion with old club Chippa United in tomorrow’s Nedbank Cup semi-final as he fractured his collarbone against Royal AM last weekend and will play no further part of the season. Patrick Maswanganyi returns for Pirates after a suspension.

* Luton Town's fight against the drop has not been helped by their perpetual injury crisis and coach Rob Edwards is sure to be without seven stricken players for tonight’s game against Everton. They are Issa Kabore (ankle), Marvelous Nakamba (knee), Jacob Brown (knee), Amari'i Bell (hamstring), Dan Potts (thigh), Chiedozie Ogbene (thigh) and captain Tom Lockyer, who said he would be at "peace" with retirement after his cardiac arrest earlier this season.

* Bologna centre-back Sam Beukema, who was sent off after receiving two yellows against Udinese in their last match, will serve his one-game suspension against Torino tonight. Torino have a similar absentee in midfielder Adrien Tameze. He was sent off at the start of the second half at Inter last weekend, ruling him out of the fixture.

* Chippa United have two players back after their midweek loss at home to Moroka Swallows with the defensive duo of Justive Chabalala and Sergio Kammies returning from suspension. Chabalala and Kammies were banned after an accumulation of yellow cards, but Roscoe Pietersen must still serve the second game of his ban after being red carded against AmaZulu last weekend.

* Aston Villa have triggered the one-year option in Unai Emery’s contract to extend his stay until at least 2027 in the face of interest from Bayern Munich. Emery is on course to lead Villa into the Champions League and, after reaching the Europa Conference League semi-final, he could deliver the club’s first major trophy since 1996.

R100,000 CARRYOVER SOCCER 10 MATCH BY MATCH

Friday 3 May S10 V3

SOCCER 10 V3 SUGGESTED BET:

Suggested R288 perm: 1,2,3 x 2,3 x 1,2,3 x 2.3 x 3 x 3 x 2,3 x 3 x 1,2 x 1.

Saturday 4 May S10 V2

SOCCER 10 V2 SUGGESTED BET:

Suggested R96 perm: 3 x 1,2 x 3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 3 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 1.