SuperSport United coach Kaitano Tembo says that Orlando Pirates are the favourites to win the title this season as they are high on confidence after signing some quality players and starting the season well.

The Sea Robbers arguably got the best out of the fire sale at Wits, having secured Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Thabang Monare from the now defunct Clever Boys, while also signing Richard Ofori from Maritzburg United and highly rated DR Congo striker Jean-Marc Makusu.

As Tembo’s team prepare to face the unbeaten Buccaneers on Saturday and the Zimbabwean coach admitted it has been difficult to prepare for such a big game with most of his squad away on international duty.

“It is not easy to prepare for a big game without a full squad. We will have one day of preparation for such a big game. They [Orlando Pirates] have a great squad, and I think that they are the favourites to win the league title this season,” said Tembo as per Sowetan Live.

“They have Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto and Terrence Dzvukamanja, and many quality players. They have not lost a game and are in the MTN8 Cup final. They are high on confidence.”

SuperSport are going into this match on the backdrop of elimination from the MTN8 by Bloemfontein Celtic and Tembo has demanded that his attackers become prolific.

“The [international] break came at the right time. The goals seem to have dried up, and we needed more time to work on that,” Tembo said.

“I expect a sharp SuperSport against Pirates. We are not scoring goals and not creating enough chances. We have been working on scoring goals in a couple of friendly matches.”

“We got players from Bafana, Zimbabwe, Botswana and the South Africa under-23. We will have a full squad tomorrow [Thursday], and I hope no one got injured,” Tembo said.

Midfielder Sipho Mbule is back from injury while it is uncertain if forward Bradley Grobler has recovered from a knock which saw him withdraw from the Bafana Bafana camp last week.