Orlando Pirates fans will find themselves in an unusual role this week, supporting arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs when they go up against Mamelodi Sundowns on Wednesday.
Pirates are chasing Sundowns for the Betway Premiership crown and will be hoping AmaKhosi can do them a favour and derail the Brazilians’ bid to win a ninth successive championship.
There have been very few previous situations when Pirates fans have been hoping for Chiefs’ success, but for a brief while, the long-standing rivalry will be set aside as Bucs’ supporters hold onto hopes of their side taking the title for the first time in 14 years.
But Pirates will need to help themselves first as they go up against Stellenbosch away on Tuesday (live on SuperSport), needing to win to keep up the pressure on the champions.
Sundowns are now five points clear at the top of the table after back-to-back victories home and away over Polokwane City but have played one match more than Pirates, who have four fixtures left.
Pirates, who are on 59 points, can reach a maximum of 71 points if they win their remaining matches, starting with the Stellenbosch and then Magesi away at the weekend, followed by Durban City at home on 16 May and Orbit College away on the last day of the campaign on 23 May.
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Sundowns host Chiefs on Wednesday and then Siwelele in Atteridgeville on Saturday in their penultimate league fixture.
Their final league match against TS Galaxy must be moved from its original date of 16 May because it clashes with the first leg of the African Champions League final against Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, which is in Pretoria on 15 May, but the Premier Soccer League has not yet announced any details of a new date.
If Pirates lose on Tuesday at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town and then Sundowns win over Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld 24 hours later, the Brazilians will be eight points clear and needing only two points from their last two games to win the title.
They could achieve that as early as this Saturday at home to Siwelele, but only if everything falls in their favour.