Ajax Cape Town and SuperSport United will lock horns in an Absa Premiership clash at Athlone Stadium on Wednesday evening with both teams in desperate search of three points.

Kick-off is at 7:30 pm CAT.

The Urban Warriors suffered an 11th loss of the season when they were beaten 1-0 at Golden Arrows this past weekend. The Cape side has won just one of their last five league matches, picking up five points from a possible 15 in this sequence.

Ajax Cape Town have claimed 18 points from 11 home matches this season, with their last turn as hosts producing an impressive 3-0 win over Orlando Pirates in late January.

SuperSport played to a second successive draw when they held log leaders and Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns to 1-1 stalemate last time out. They have won just one of their last seven league matches, a sequence of results which has brought just six points from a possible 21.

Matsatsantsa have claimed just 10 points from 11 away matches this season, with their last win on the road coming in mid-January when they beat Maritzburg United 1-0 at Harry Gwala Stadium. Defeat in midweek will pull the Tshwane club within two points of Ajax Cape Town and the relegation zone.

When the teams met earlier this season in Nelspruit, United claimed a 1-0 home win in late November 2017, thanks to a first-half strike from midfielder Aubrey Modiba. Matsatsantsa have kept three consecutive clean sheets against their opponents in the league.

Predicted Starting XI

Ajax Cape Town: Petersen, Zwane, Pietersen, Lebusa, Sasman, Malepe, Takwara, Margeman, Mdabuka, Lakay, Zakri.

SuperSport United: Williams, Nhlapo, Kekana, Gould, Daniels, Modiba, Letsholonyane, Furman,, Mnyamane, Phala, Rusike.

Head-to-Head Statistics

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2012/13 Ajax 1-1 SuperSport Fanteni; Zuma

2012/13 SuperSport 2-1 Ajax Nxumalo, Cale; Wanderson

2013/14 SuperSport 1-2 Ajax Zuma; Rodgers, Jenniker

2013/14 Ajax 2-0 SuperSport Morris, Rodgers

2014/15 Ajax 0-0 SuperSport

2014/15 SuperSport 1-2 Ajax Phala; Losper, E. Isaacs

2015/16 Ajax 0-1 SuperSport Phala

2015/16 SuperSport 1-3 Ajax Nkhatha; Morris, Losper, Nxumalo

2016/17 Ajax 0-2 SuperSport Brockie (pen), Letsholonyane

2016/17 SuperSport 0-0 Ajax

2017/18 SuperSport 1-0 Ajax Modiba

LEAGUE RECORD (since 1999/2000)

Home

P W D L GF GA

SuperSport 19 9 4 6 22 19

Ajax 19 6 6 7 15 17

Away

P W D L GF GA

SuperSport 18 6 6 6 16 15

Ajax 18 6 4 8 19 21

Total

P W D L GF GA

SuperSport 37 15 10 12 38 34

Ajax 37 12 10 15 34 38

What the teams are saying

Ajax Cape Town defender Siyanda Zwane

“We really tried our best against Golden Arrows, but things just didn’t go our way on the day,” said Zwane.

“Our next game [against SuperSport United] is very crucial, they themselves believe that they deserve to be in the top eight. They head to Cape Town in a better space following a draw - as for us - we really need a win. Every game from now until the end of the season is a cup final.

“We need to collect points, this is a crucial game - nothing but a win will do.”

SuperSport United head coach Eric Tinkler

“We knew we were going to have soak up loads of pressure,” said Tinkler following Matsatsantsa’s draw against Sundowns.

“Before the game, we knew they were going to come with a lot of pace. A lot of people now think we lack speed in defence.

“The way conceded disappointed me to be honest. We worked so hard on it and to concede like that was disappointing because we knew they always look to invent something from a set-piece and that’s exactly how we got caught.

“Now we have to switch focus to Ajax Cape Town, it is going to be another tough game against a team that are desperate for a win.”

Key Players

Ajax Cape Town

Yannick Zakri: The Ivorian forward has been a huge miss for the Cape club since picking up an injury in victory over the Buccaneers. Zakri, though, is expected to make a return against SuperSport with his eye for goal to come as a huge boost for the hosts.

Siyanda Zwane: There is no doubt that Zwane’s arrival has had a major impact down the right flank for the Urban Warriors with his hard-running nature key in both defence and attack for Muhsin Ertugral’s troops.

SuperSport United

Aubrey Modiba: Having missed the club’s draw against the Brazilians due to suspension, Modiba is expected to slot right back into the starting 11 with his ability to pop up with important goals a valuable asset.

Morgan Gould: The experienced centre-back has been in impressive form for the club all season and will be called upon once more to keep things tight at the back - against a desperate Urban Warriors outfit.