The PSL reaches the halfway mark this weekend, with a full round of matches scheduled across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We’ve picked half of those and tried to dissect them, with a betting guide that may be worth your time.
Richards Bay (3rd) v Mamelodi Sundowns (1st)
Sundowns are currently in the midst of their annual “we-will-win-every-game” run that has propelled them to recent titles. We’re not even halfway through the season (we’ll be halfway after this weekend), and they already enjoy a seven-point lead at the top of the pile. Four wins in a row for Rulani is also notable – no Sundowns head coach ever started with five straight wins. This, however, won’t be a cakewalk, and it’s striking to see Downs chalked up so short against the Rich Boyz. It is January, so we’re trying to lay low on the risky punts, but a Richards Bay double chance at 2,3/1 may be worth a dip (just don’t use the school fees).
10 – Sundowns & Richards Bay have kept 10 clean sheets in 14 league games, the most of all sides.
You can bet on Under 1.5 goals
Cape Town City (11th) v Orlando Pirates (5th)
The Citizens were unusually off colour against SuperSport earlier this week and may have had this fixture on their minds (the marketing team at the stadium certainly did). That said, we’re inclined to put that aside as a once-off – this was only the second time City lost at home in 21 league matches. The last time they lost two in a row at home was February 2018, something that has never happened under Eric Tinkler. The bookies don’t see it happening here either, with a home win favoured over the other two possibilities. When you factor Pirates’ scoring problems, it’s a fair shout. Nine goals in 14 games are astounding for a club like Pirates, and the new striker coach will need to figure out (and fix) how they’ve scored over 0.5 just once in five away games.
1 – Pirates have won just one of their last 12 matches away to Cape-based opposition (P12 W1 D6 L5 all comps v CT City, Stellenbosch & Ajax).
You can bet on Cape Town City win or a draw
You can bet on Under 1.5 goals for Pirates
Kaizer Chiefs (4th) v Sekhukhune United (12th)
Given their away form, Sekhukhune looks up against it here. You have to go back to December 2021 for their last away win – a 15-game streak with just one match in which they scored Over 1.5 goals. Chiefs will have designs on going back to the top three and are heavy odds on for the win. Of all eight matches this weekend, a Chiefs win provides the shortest home odds (1,8/1). That’s as secure as you’re going to get.
1 – Only one team (Maritzburg) has gone on longer without an away win than Sekhukhune (15 games).
You can bet on Sekhukhune scoring Under 1.5 goals
Golden Arrows (10th) v SuperSport United (2nd)
Golden Arrows were doing ok (1 loss in 8) until they met Orlando Pirates in October. Since then, Abafana Bes’thende have lost three out of four and now sits just three points off the relegation zone. Their visitors are flying meanwhile, losing one of the last 11 games, and comfortably sitting in 2nd place. Indeed, a win here will effectively secure their top-flight status for another season. SuperSport have opened the scoring in 10 straight games too, so that could be a safe punt. Surprisingly, the odds are pretty close (2,9/1 for Arrows win as opposed to 2,7/1 for the visitors to snatch all three points).
20 – Gavin Hunt has won more league matches against Arrows than against any other PSL team (20).
You can bet on SuperSport scoring first
You can bet on SuperSport win/draw