PIC: Bradley Grobler (centre)

SuperSport United were delighted to see veteran striker Bradley Grobler return from injury in midweek but his first appearance in three months will not have pleased Nedbank Cup opponents Orlando Pirates.

The 37-year-old Grobler, with more than a century of goals in Premier Soccer League history, is arguably the striker that the Buccaneers fear the most, given he has scored nine times previously for SuperSport against Pirates.

Grobler, who had been out with a facial injury, returned on Wednesday for an 18- minute cameo at the end of the league fixture against AmaZulu, which ended in a goalless draw.

But coach Gavin Hunt will be tempted to start him on Saturday when SuperSport host Pirates in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal tie at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane (kick-off 15h00).

Grobler’s tally against Pirates is one of the highest individual scoring exploits in the domestic game and includes a goal for SuperSport as they edged Bucs 3-2 in the 2016 Nedbank Cup final, which was also hosted in Polokwane, as well as two goals the following year when the two clubs again met in the Nedbank Cup final.

SuperSport overwhelmed Pirates 4-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban in the 2017 decider, with the decisive double from the player affectionately called ‘Sniper’ by his teammates.

Grobler’s last goal against Pirates was early last season when SuperSport last won against the Buccaneers.

Since they have gone three games without success in their rivalry with Pirates.
To put Grobler’s nine-goal haul into context, the next highest number for a SuperSport player is four, from ex-striker Jeremy Brockie and, more surprisingly, former defender Michael Boxall.
Boxall scored five goals in two seasons in South Africa and four of those came against The Buccaneers.
The highest scorers for Pirates in this fixture are Albert ‘Bashin’ Mahlango and Benedict Vilakazi, who also have four goals.
It means Grobler has scored more than double the number of goals in SuperSport games vs Pirates than any other player on either side. He also has seven goals over the years in the Nedbank Cup.

At the start of this season, when Pirates edged SuperSport in extra time in their MTN8 quarter-final in early August, Grobler suffered a groin injury and needed surgery.

He returned to action in late November but then was injured at training in early January when he clashed heads in an aerial challenge and shattered his cheekbone and the bone on his eyebrow, necessitating more surgery with plates inserted. Now he wears a mask during training but is ready to play.

Ironically, in Grobler’s first six seasons in the domestic game, played with Platinum Stars and then Ajax Cape Town, he proved unable to find the net against Pirates.

But he got the only goal in the 1-0 home for SuperSport over Pirates in April 2014 and has not looked back since.