WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 20 -22 DECEMBER
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August 2024
THE MAGIC IS BACK AS CITY AND UNITED SQUARE UP
For many TAB football customers, TAB soccer pools get a whole lot more exciting from this weekend with the Community Shield at Wembley on Saturday heralding the start of the 2024-25 season in England and Europe. Big-gun football is back and R150,000-added Soccer 10 pools tonight and tomorrow add to the excitement of the start of what promises to be another astounding season packed with the chances for TAB soccer-pool players to win big cash.
PEP’S CHAMPS WILL BE AIMING FOR WEMBLEY REVENGE
At home the MTN8 is already underway. Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch are through to the semi-finals after winning their quarter-final clashes last weekend and the other two semi-finalists will be decided this weekend.
Sekhukhune United were the surprise package in the PSL last season, edging Cape Town City into fifth place on goal difference, and host Eric Tinkler’s coastal team in the MTN8 this Saturday. Sekhukhune’s strong performance last term came despite friction between their coach and management, and they now they have a new German coach in German Peter Hyballa. So much is expected of them even if they have sold their best player Elias Mokwana to Tunisian champions Esperance.
Cape Town City did not live up to their potential last season, but Tinkler says he is pleased with an impressive array of new signings. The last of the MTN8 first-round ties will be played in Atteridgeville on Sunday when champions Sundowns will be overwhelming favourites to beat Polokwane City. Manchester City are out for Wembley revenge against neighbours United in the Community Shield, the traditional clash between the league and FA Cup winners that kicks off each new season. Pep Guardiola’s side were denied the double in their last competitive fixture when Erik ten Hag’s men beat them in the FA Cup final.
After a slow start pre-season and losses to Celtic and AC Milan, City looked strong when beating Chelsea 4-2 last time out and look favourites to win this, although neither team is likely to be at best after the disruptions of EURO 2024 and the Copa America.
The English Championship starts tonight with home games for Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End, who threatened briefly in the promotion race last season but then faded. Blackburn host Derby County who return to the second tier after finishing second in League One last season. Preston are up against Sheffield United, relegated from the EPL in which they finished bottom and lost their last seven fixtures.
A new league campaign kicks off in the Netherlands this weekend, when Ajax Amsterdam will be out to regain their lustre after a disappointing last campaign in which they finished fifth after being bottom of the table.
They have a new Italian coach in 35-year-old Francesco Farioli, one of the bright lights on the coaching circuit, and will be under loads of pressure to get Ajax back among the title contenders like champions PSV Eindhoven, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord. They play Hereenveen at home in their opening game on Sunday and it’s no easy start.
Portugal also get their season underway and champions Sporting Lisbon are hot favourites to win easily over Rio Ave in Friday’s first fixture. Title rivals Porto should beat Gil Vicente on Saturday.
R150,000-ADDED SOCCER 10 POOLS MATCH BY MATCH
Friday 9 August Soccer 10 V2
SOCCER 10 V2 SUGGESTED BET:
| M1: Groningen vs NAC Breda | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| TAB is adding R150,000 to this pool so expect a bumper pot of about R1.8 million. The bet kicks off with a clash between two clubs who are back in the top-flight of Dutch football after gaining promotion last season. NAC finished only eighth in the Eerste Divisie last term but gained promotion in a dramatic playoff. They have met 55 times with Groningen winning 18 to NAC’s 16. | |||
| M2: FC Emmen vs Dordrecht | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Dutch second division. Emmen have won seven of their last 12 games, while Dordrecht are unbeaten in four friendlies in a row. Emmen won last meeting between the two 1-0 in May, their third win in the last six clashes between the two. | |||
| M3: Eindhoven FC vs Den Bosch | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Eindhoven have won the last six encounters with Den Bosch, including a 2-0 home win in May. Both teams have struggled recently. | |||
| M4: MVV Maas vs Cambuur | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Another Dutch Eerste Divisie game. MVV have won eight of their last 12 games and Cambuur are on a four-game winning streak in friendlies. Cambuur have won five of the last six encounters between the two. | |||
| M5: TOP Oss vs SBV Excelsior | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Oss winless in last six and Excelsior winless in last three friendlies. Previous meeting two years ago ended 1-1. In last four encounters Oss have won once and Excelsior twice with one draw. | |||
| M6: Vitesse vs Telstar | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Vitesse have lost eight of their last 13 games, while Telstar have won three straight friendlies. They've never met before. | |||
| M7: Standard Liege vs KV Mechelen | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Liège are unbeaten in their last five games. Mechelen lost last time after starting the season with a draw. In 100 previous clashes, Liege have won 49 to Mechelen’s 29. | |||
| M8: Blackburn Rovers vs Derby County | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Blackburn are unbeaten in their last six and have won five of their last six clashes with Derby. Derby have won eight of their last 15 games. | |||
| M9: Preston North End vs Sheffield United | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Preston have lost eight of their last 11 games. Sheffield have reeled off four wins and a draw in five pre-season friendlies. Sheffield won the last clash with Preston 4-1. | |||
| M10: Sporting CP vs Rio Ave | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Opening game of the 2024-25 Portuguese Primeira Liga. Sporting Lisbon have won 10 of their last 15 games, but Rio Ave are winless in their last four. Sporting have won five of the last six meetings between the two with one draw. | |||
SUGGESTED R108 PERMUTATION: 1 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1,2 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 1 x 3 x 1.
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Saturday 10 August S10 V1
SOCCER 10 V1 SUGGESTED BET:
| M1: Sekhukhune United vs Cape Town City | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| MTN8 clash gets this cash-added Soccer 10 underway. Sekhukhune have avoided defeat in 12 of their last 15 games and City were unbeaten in their last four league games of last season, ending the term with a 1-0 win over Sundowns. | |||
| M2: Manchester United vs Manchester City | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Community Shield. United have won six of their last eight games and City nine of their last 14. United lost 0-3 to Liverpool last time out and City beat Chelsea 4-2. The last meeting between these Manchester neighbours was in the FA Cup in May with United winning 2-1. | |||
| M3: Zenit St Petersburg vs Dinamo Moscow | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Zenit are on a five-game winning streak. Dinamo Moscow have won nine of their last 14 games. Dinamo won 1-0 in their last meeting in April and have won four of the last six encounters. | |||
| M4: Borussia Dortmund vs Aston Villa | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Bundesliga-EPL friendly. Dortmund have won seven of their last 13 games, while Aston Villa have lost three friendlies in a row. The two have never clashed before. | |||
| M5: Rennes vs Werder Bremen | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Rennes have lost seven of their last 13 games and Bremen have won seven of their last 10. Both won friendly games last time. They have not met before. | |||
| M6: Everton vs Roma | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Friendly. Everton have won six of their last 12 games, including their last friendly 3-0 against Preston North End. Roma drew 1-1 with Olympiakos in a friendly last time. They have not played each other before. | |||
| M7: RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Leipzig are unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 games and PSG are on a three-game winning streak. Their last meeting ended 2-2 three years ago. | |||
| M8: Tottenham Hotspur vs Bayern Munich | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Tottenham have won six of their last nine games and Bayern seven of their last 12. They met in Seoul recently with Bayern winning 2-1, but now meet in London and Spurs may be able to turn the tables. | |||
| M9: NEC Nijmegen vs Twente | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Dutch Eredivisie. NEC are winless in their last four games, while Twente are unbeaten in their last five. NEC won 1-0 in their previous Eredivisie meeting, but Twente have won three of the last six clashes between the sides. | |||
| M10: Hamburger SV vs Hertha Berlin | TEAM A WINS | DRAW | TEAM B WINS |
| Bundesliga second division. Hamburg have won seven of their last 10 games and four of the last six encounters between the two. Hertha Berlin are winless in their last four games. | |||
SUGGESTED R36 PERMUTATION: 1,2 x 3 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 3 x 1 x 1,2,3 x 1 x 3 x 1.
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