Teams: Orlando Pirates v Black Leopards
Date: 21 December 2019
Venue: Orlando Stadium
Josef Zinnbauer begins his reign as Orlando Pirates head coach with a clash against Black Leopards in the Absa Premiership on Saturday afternoon at Orlando Stadium.
The Buccaneers are smarting after going through a second coaching change so far this season, with former interim coach Rhulani Mokwena taking a back seat once again to become an assistant coach to Zinnbauer.
Pirates let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Baroka two weeks ago, which was Mokwena's final game in charge as interim coach.
However, the Soweto giants remain in the top half of the table thanks largely to an unbeaten home record, as they are placed seventh on the log, three places ahead of today's opponents.
The Buccaneers will once again be without their talisman Thembinkosi Lorch, who will be serving a suspension.
Meanwhile, Lidoda Duvha played to a goalless stalemate against AmaZulu a fortnight ago and extended their winless run on the road to three matches.
In their meetings last season in the league, the Buccaneers completed a double over the Limpopo side but Leopards knocked Pirates out of the Nedbank Cup in the first round via a penalty shoot-outs in January this year.
Pirates: 30. Sandilands, 23. Maela, 4. Jele, 5. Nyauza, 44. Mabaso, 6. Motshwari, 32. Mntambo, 18. Dlamini, 17. Mulenga, 45. Pule, 7. Mahango
Subs: 1. Delle, 27. Ndengane, 29. Mako, 14. Nyatama, 11. Memela, 16. Mabasa, 12. Shonga.
Leopards: 1. Mendes, 8. Matlaba, 13. P. Zulu, 33. Katjiukua, 2. Gyimah, 25. Mokoena, 27. Ng'ambi, 14. Phala, 11. Musonda, 31. Ndlovu, 12. Kapinga.
Subs: 32. Muleka, 29. Masia, 6. Mudau, 5. Abubakar, 9. Andrianarimanana, 30. Mhlongo, 17. Hlongwane.
