Chippa United will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in the Betway Premiership when they host AmaZulu FC at the Buffalo City Stadium on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 3:30pm CAT.
CURRENT FORM
The Chilli Boys snapped a three-match winless run when they claimed a 2-0 victory over Polokwane City at home on 15 March and they had registered two defeats, and one draw before facing Rise, and Shine.
Chippa are occupying the ninth spot in the Betway Premiership standings - four points above the relegation zone and four points behind eighth-placed Kaizer Chiefs with 10 matches left.
Meanwhile, AmaZulu extended their winless run to three matches when they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to TS Galaxy at home on 14 March, and it was a second successive defeat for the KwaZulu-Natal giants.
Usuthu find themselves placed seventh in the Betway Premiership - a point behind sixth-placed Polokwane, and they will be desperate for a league double over Chippa in order to consolidate their spot in the top eight, having won 2-0 in their first-round league clash.
TEAM NEWS
Both Chippa United and AmaZulu have suspension concerns coming into this encounter, which comes immediately after the recent Fifa international break.
The Chill Boys will be without the suspended duo of Boy Madingwane and Bienvenu Eva Nga, while Usuthu's Nkosikhona Radebe will also be absent as he serves a one-match ban.
WHAT WAS SAID?
Chippa United head coach Thabo September
"This is a big win [over Polokwane] because it really gets us close to the top eight and moves us away from the teams that have been performing well behind us. Four points away from the top eight, it gives us hope and belief that with the games we have in hand if we do well, we can get into the top eight," September said.
"We need to do well in our finishing, we need to create good chances for us to score. We need to make the right decision in the final third, I think the build-up ... I think we need to work on [getting] into the final third. We also need to work on our set pieces attacking and defensively.
"There is still a lot of work to be done, a lot of aspects to our game that need to improve. Hopefully, in the two weeks before AmaZulu, we will work on those things and work with the players to be ready for what is coming in terms of schedule."
AmaZulu FC head coach Arthur Zwane
“It was simply poor decision-making [against Galaxy]. It’s not that we aren’t getting into the right areas at the right time; it’s the execution of those decisions. There was a moment when Ethan Brooks could have passed to Tshepang Moremi, who was facing the goalkeeper with an open opportunity," Zwane said.
"Instead, they made a mistake. We needed just one accurate pass, but the ball went straight to the keeper – he overcooked it. I could cite similar instances from matches like the one against SuperSport United, where we had numerous turnovers.
"Unfortunately, we don’t have much time to dwell on these issues now, as we need to secure results with games coming thick and fast. We are dealing with seasoned campaigners, and you expect them to make better decisions.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sirgio Kammies, Chippa United: The hard-working full-back was influential in the Chilli Boys' victory over Polokwane - grabbing an assist and being named Man of the Match - and he could be key to the team's win over Usuthu.
Elmo Kambindu, AmaZulu: Since joining Usuthu from Chippa in January 2025, the Namibia international has impressively netted four goals in eight league games, and he will be eager to haunt the Chilli Boys by inspiring AmaZulu to a win.