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2022/23 DStv Premiership
Matchday 15
6-8 January 2023
The DStv Premiership continues to come thick and fast in the New Year, as Richards Bay look to stop the juggernaut that is Mamelodi Sundowns on matchday 15.
The action gets underway on Friday with Swallows and Chippa United looking to kickstart their respective campaigns at the Dobsonville Stadium.
The Dube Birds (15th) lost their first two games after the World Cup break against the Natal Rich Boyz (1-0) and the Brazilians (2-0), while the Chilli Boys (6th) played out to a 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch last Friday which extended their winless run to three matches.
At the same time top-of-the-table Sundowns head to the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium to take on third-placed Richards Bay.
Masandawana saw off Swallows on Tuesday to record their eighth win on the spin and go seven points clear at the league summit. The Natal Rich Boyz also beat the Birds on New Year's Eve to make it nine games without defeat.
The defending champions had to wait until the 63rd minute to open the scoring through Neo Maema before Themba Zwane struck four minutes later to seal the win and Downs head coach Rulani Mokwena admitted hard-working performances like that brings titles.
"It was an important win against a very difficult team, we expected it to be difficult and it proved to be very difficult - these are the games that win you championships," Mokwena declared.
On Saturday, SuperSport United will aim to keep their title challenge going when they face Golden Arrows at the Princess Magogo Stadium.
Matsatsantsa moved up to second place courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Cape Town City on Tuesday, which extended their unbeaten run to six outings. Abafana Bes'thende (10th) returned to action on New Year's Eve with a 2-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs.
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates will attempt to arrest a two-match losing streak when they lock horns with Cape Town City at the DHL Stadium.
The Buccaneers resumed domestic duties after the six-week recess with a 2-0 loss to Sundowns last Friday, which left them well off the pace in the title race in fifth spot. The Citizens (11th) will be hoping to bounce back from Tuesday's defeat to SuperSport, having beaten Royal AM 2-1 last Friday.
Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro insists they are not giving up just yet despite being a massive 15 points behind the league leaders.
"The game we played on Friday against Sundowns is not going to make a difference at the end of the season about the position on the table," Riveiro said. "The season is still long, we have played only 14 matches and there are still a lot of points to be played and we will continue to fight until the end."
Elsewhere, Kaizer Chiefs will be looking to make it three wins in a row when they welcome Sekhukhune United to the FNB Stadium.
The Glamour Boys (4th) ended 2022 on a high after beating Arrows last Friday to maintain the 10-point gap to Sundowns, while Babina Noko continued their unbeaten start under Brandon Truter with a 3-2 triumph over Marumo Gallants on Tuesday to climb up to 12th position.
Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane praised the contributions of Samkelo Zwane, Mduduzi Shabalala, Wandisile Duba and Kamohelo Mahlatsi, who were all given the chance to impress against Abafana Bes'thende in the absence of the club's star players and he believes it provides competition for places.
"It creates competition. They are at home, they have seen the young boys and how they did well so they are going to have to work hard to get back into the team," Zwane said. "But they are part and parcel of us and the team simply because of the abilities and qualities they have as individuals."
Marumo Gallants (14th) and Maritzburg United (16th) are also in action on Saturday at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, while Royal AM (9th) meet AmaZulu (7th) in a KZN derby at the Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday and TS Galaxy (8th) host Stellenbosch (13th) at the Mbombela Stadium a couple of hours later.
DStv Premiership fixtures
Friday
19h30: Swallows v Chippa United
19h30: Richards Bay v Mamelodi Sundowns
Saturday
15h30: Golden Arrows v SuperSport United
15h30: Marumo Gallants v Maritzburg United
17h30: Cape Town City v Orlando Pirates
20h00: Kaizer Chiefs v Sekhukhune United
Sunday
15h30: Royal AM v AmaZulu
17h30: TS Galaxy v Stellenbosch
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