Orlando Pirates will look to continue their impressive home form when they host Polokwane City at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday (15:00). 

The Buccaneers have been dominant on home turf, winning all five of their home fixtures so far this season, and will be eager to extend that streak with another victory over the visiting “Rise and Shine.”

Assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has expressed confidence that Pirates can secure another three points as they shift focus back to the Betway Premiership following their recent CAF Champions League duties. Speaking ahead of the match, Ncikazi highlighted the importance of gathering points early in the season to build momentum and aim for a top spot in the league.

“We are focusing on gathering as many points as we can, and the outcome of having gathered enough points will take us into a certain position—a top position—but for now, we are just focusing on the game, getting three points, and moving to the next match,” Ncikazi said.

Rise and Shine, though, should not be underestimated. Despite an early exit in the MTN8 at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns, they’ve had a strong start to their league campaign, defeating both AmaZulu and Magesi FC, sitting second in the league table with six points.

This form has earned them the respect of Ncikazi, who believes their opponents will pose a significant challenge.

“The opponents are a serious team; they finished in the top eight last season. Their first two games of the season have gone well, which just indicates that we have to give them respect and see them as very serious opponents,” he acknowledged.

For the Pirates, a win would not only maintain their perfect home record but also extend their current unbeaten run to nine games across all competitions. The Buccaneers have been in fine form, with six wins and two draws in their last eight matches, giving them a solid foundation to build on.

“Our team has started well, and we are just preparing to win the match at home. That’s the only mandate we are going to do. Tough as it might be, we have prepared to win the match, and the team looks ready,” Ncikazi said, reinforcing their commitment to continue their early-season momentum.

With both sides enjoying good starts to the season, Tuesday’s clash promises to be a tightly contested affair, but with Ncikazi’s confidence and Pirates’ strong home form, the hosts will be favorites to gather another vital three points.