The Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will take centre stage in a full round of Betway Premiership action this weekend.
Chiefs and Pirates will lock horns in a crunch clash at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon, which will not only serve as a dress rehearsal for their Nedbank Cup final meeting in Durban on 10 May, but also shape the teams’ respective league campaigns.
While the Amakhosi are fighting to finish in the top eight, the second-placed Buccaneers are trying to chase down leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and deny them an eighth-straight league championship.
However, that ambition suffered a major blow on Wednesday evening when they succumbed 1-0 at home to Sekhukhune United, allowing ‘Downs to open up a 12-point lead at the top (albeit having played two more matches).
STRUGGLING CHIEFS
Chiefs, meanwhile, have failed to win any of their last six Premiership matches – most recently succumbing 2-1 at the hands of Marumo Gallants last weekend – and coach Nasreddine Nabi has admitted concern over his team’s trajectory.
"Everyone needs to assess themselves with honesty and look at how they do in training and during games. And then we need to stick together and go into this coming week of preparation with our heads up,” said the Tunisian tactician.
“It’s unfortunate that the situation is very bad. We have to accept it and there’s no excuse for that, but the most worrying thing for me is not the results; we have lost our way of playing, and that’s even more concerning.”
The weekend’s action gets underway on Friday evening with AmaZulu hosting Polokwane City at the King Zwelithini Stadium, with both teams fighting to secure a top-eight finish.
Saturday, aside from the Soweto derby, also features Sundowns visiting Cape Town City and SuperSport United hosting Chippa United in Polokwane.
Both matches will have ramifications in the battle to avoid the relegation playoffs, with the Citizens currently occupying the red zone, though Matsatsantsa are level on points and ranked ahead only on goal difference.
City have gone 13 games without a win across all competitions and coach Diogo Peral has admitted that they have their backs against the wall coming up against the reigning champions and league leaders.
“Mentally, it's a tough place to be in. You have to try and work out where your next win is going to come from... It makes it difficult because sometimes we play well but we don't get the results, and the guys get discouraged and we have to lift them up again,” he explained.
Peral added, “We'll do everything we can to prepare both mentally and tactically and the players have to come up with something... they must believe because we've done it against Sundowns before, so we will try to do it again.”
The battle to finish third behind Sundowns and Pirates will be the focus for Sekhukhune United and Stellenbosch FC, who travel to Magesi FC and Golden Arrows, respectively, on Saturday, while Sunday’s lone game pits TS Galaxy against relegation-threatened Richards Bay at the Mbombela Stadium.
BETWAY PREMIERSHIP WEEKEND FIXTURES
Times CAT
Friday 2 May
19:30: AmaZulu FC v Polokwane City
Saturday 3 May
15:00: Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates
15:00: Golden Arrows v Stellenbosch FC
17:30: Magesi FC v Sekhukhune United
17:45: SuperSport United v Chippa United
20:00: Cape Town City v Mamelodi Sundowns
Sunday 4 May
15:00: TS Galaxy v Richards Bay