The stage is set for one of the most eagerly-awaited matches of the coronavirus pandemic affected PSL season, a top of the table clash that could determine the winners of the league championship.
It comes in the form of the crunch match between Soweto giants and log leaders Kaizer Chiefs and their Tshwane rivals, second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns at the traditional home of league title outsiders Orlando Pirates – the venue being Orlando Stadium – tomorrow at 6pm.
With Sundowns having pipped Golden Arrows 1-0 in their last league encounter on Monday night via a late goal by super sub Themba “Mshishi” Zwane with the match heading to a goalless draw, no doubt coach Pitso Mosimane and his boys have their tails up, believing they have Chiefs’ scalp.
The victory against Abafana be’sthende saw the Brazilians move to within three points of log leaders Amakhosi who only managed to salvage a point in their last outing on Sunday.
The Glamour Boys’s 1-1 stalemate against the boys from the fairest Cape, Stellenbosch, a side that courted relegation in the first half of the campaign but are now fighting for a top eight finish, was a drawback for coach Ernst Middendorp, who is widely believed to be on his way out of Naturena come next season.
Zambian forward Lazarous Kambole came to Chiefs rescue with an equaliser to earn his side an important point and share the spoils with Stellies.
While many believe Thursday night’s match could decide the title, Mosimane disagrees and has poured cold water to that notion.
“We want to win against Chiefs to make everything correct but we might not even win against Chiefs. Mathematically the league will not be won on Thursday because this thing still has a heartbeat,” Mosimane said during Monday’s post-match interview.
“I don’t think Thursday is a title decider. Sometimes the title can be won on the last match of the season. I have always told you guys that sometimes you value a point from a draw.”
Chiefs’ German mentor, on the other hand, focused on the absence of his talisman and leading goal-scorer with 13 goals, striker Samir Nurkovic, who is suspended for this needle match.
“Of course it is a huge loss, there’s no doubt about that. At this moment we must look to find solutions. Let me try to find solutions in the squad we have, Middendorp continued. “Let us strategise. It is something very painful for us.”
There is no love lost between the two sides whenever meet. In the first round Mosimane accused Chiefs of having benefitted from referees mistakes when Downs lost the league fixture 2-0.
After tomorrow’s crunch game Chiefs still has to meet Wits University, Chippa United and Baroka, while Sundowns has Baroka, Polokwane City and Black Leopards before the season
