Pirates look to match Sundowns’ road record

Champions Orlando Pirates will match Mamelodi Sundowns’ record of the longest unbeaten run in away matches in the Premier Soccer League era if they avoid defeat at Marumo Gallants on Sunday.

Pirates play their Betway Premiership clash at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace looking to not only close the gap on early season leaders Sundowns (who have played two games more) but also match their record.

Pirates are unbeaten in their last 19 away matches in all competitions since a 3-0 thumping last October by St Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Lubumbashi in the second round of last season’s African Champions League.

Sundowns went 20 away matches unbeaten between August 2020 and May 2021 when Al Ahly of Egypt ended their streak, by beating them 2-0 in Cairo in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.

In the PSL era post 1996, Chiefs set a record 16 unbeaten away games in all competitions in 1997 and then matched it again the following year.

In 2012, SuperSport United then set a new record of 17 matches unbeaten on the road which Chiefs equalled in 2016.

Sundowns then broke that record went they 20 games unbeaten in the 2020-21 season, which included games in the neutral bio-bubble that was held in Gauteng during the Covid-19 crisis.