Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs will resume their rivalry at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium on Saturday, with Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates hoping Amakhosi will do them a favour in the South African Premiership title race.
Sundowns lead the league by 15 points, but Pirates have four games in hand. Chiefs languish 26 points behind Sundowns with only one game in hand, with their priority now to secure an MTN8 spot and perhaps qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup if they finish the season strong.
However, the rivalry the two Soweto giants have developed with Sundowns means that even if Chiefs are out of the title race, there will always be motivation to come away from Tshwane with three points.
In their last match, Chiefs hosted Sundowns' neighbours SuperSport United, but fell to an embarrassing 4-1 defeat. Sundowns, meanwhile, head into this match off the back of a 4-2 midweek win over Sekhukhune United.
Key details:
Date: Saturday, Mar 1 at 3:30 PM CAT (1:30 PM GMT, 8:30 AM ET)
Venue: Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium
How to watch: The match is available on SuperSport.
Team news:
Sundowns will be without Aubrey Modiba, who picked up his fourth yellow card of the season.
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs' Gastón Sirino has been denied a return to the club where he won seven straight Premiership titles as his red card against SuperSport United saw him suspended.
Ronwen Williams is expected to return from injury in goal for Sundowns, replacing Jody February, who looked far from convincing against Sekhukhune United on Wednesday.
Expected lineups:
Mamelodi Sundowns
GK Ronwen Williams
LWB Asekho Tiwani | CB Lucas Suárez | CB Grant Kekana | CB Malibongwe Khoza | RWB Thapelo Morena
CM Marcelo Allende | CM Teboho Mokoena | CM Jayden Adams
LW Tashreeq Matthews | ST Iqraam Rayners | RW Lucas Ribeiro Costa
Kaizer Chiefs
GK Bruce Bvuma
LB Bradley Cross | CB Rushwin Dortley | CB Inácio Miguel | RB Reeve Frosler
CM Yusuf Maart | CM Thabo Cele
LW Pule Mmodi | AM Mduduzi Shabalala | RW Makabi Lilepo
ST Tashreeq Morris
Stats:
Mamelodi Sundowns have won their last four games against Kaizer Chiefs.
Kaizer Chiefs last beat Mamelodi Sundowns in August 2021 (2021-22 MTN8).
Mamelodi Sundowns' Peter Shalulile has 126 Premiership goals - three short of Premier Soccer League record holder Siyabonga Nomvethe, who most famously played for Kaizer Chiefs.
Makabi Lilepo has three goals in four Premiership appearances for Kaizer Chiefs.