PSL: Our pick of the pile

Cape Town - Unstable Moroka Swallows hardly seem firm bets to end the ongoing, flawless run of Kaizer Chiefs ... and this is reflected in our tips for Wednesday’s encounter.  

Every PSL round, a panel made up of compiler Rob Houwing plus Garrin Lambley, Raymond Silinga, Earl Haupt, Wade Pretorius, Tashreeq Vardien and Maano Nekhavhambe will attempt to hit the right buttons in forecasting a trio of the most attractive games on paper.

We will keep a season-long leaderboard showing who is prospering and which wretched souls are floundering: three points for wholly correct scoreline, one for right result.

Here’s our next trio of spiciest picks ...

1. Black Aces v Orlando Pirates, Tuesday 19:30, Mbombela Stadium

The Buccaneers must be more desperate than ever to make up some ground on arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs. Yes, they lie joint-second in points terms with three others, but the gap is a formidable 10 points and even at this relatively early stage clawing back that many seems a tall order. There is also no guarantee that Pirates will prosper in their trip to the Lowveld, particularly given that mid-table Aces come off a 3-2 triumph at Moroka Swallows. I fancy the most they will bank is a point ...

Rob’s tip: 1-1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-2
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 0-1
Tashreeq: 1-2    
Maano: 0-1

2. Kaizer Chiefs v Moroka Swallows, Wednesday 19:30, FNB Stadium

If the purring AmaKhosi machine suddenly misfires for the first time this season in this particular fixture, it will be very much against the form book! The protagonists’ recent records could hardly be more dissimilar: whereas Chiefs have stunningly won all eight league games, crisis-torn Swallows have lost their last four. What’s more, the Birds have leaked three goals in three of those games, suggesting defence is an issue. Under the circumstances, it is hardly surprising that our educated panel screams “another Chiefs win”. Perhaps the only hope for the visitors to Soccer City is that the log-leaders have some semblance of fatigue from their successful trek to Cape Town to down Ajax on Sunday?  

Rob: 2-0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 2-1
Earl: 3-0
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-0  
Maano: 2-0

3. Chippa United v Mamelodi Sundowns, Wednesday 19:30, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Chippa must be fairly, er, chipper. The relocated, now PE-based club lie an already very respectable sixth ... and if they were to win this one a tad against the odds and certain other results went their way, they could even find themselves catapulted to second or third after the latest round. They are fresh off beating wooden-spoonists AmaZulu away, whilst defending champions ‘Downs aren’t exactly bristling with current energy following a dour 0-0 home stalemate with Wits. That said, I believe they will nick this one.

Rob: 0-1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-2
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 0-1
Tashreeq: 1-1  
Maano: 0-1

Leaderboard:

24 - Wade
19 - Ray
18 - Tashreeq
17 - Rob
16 - Earl & Maano
11 - Garrin

*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing