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On-form Orlando Pirates will find an equally spirited Mamelodi Sundowns when they arrive in the capital for the Absa Premiership clash at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday.
The Brazilians registered their second league win on the spin when they overpowered Free State Stars 3-1 at Loftus on Wednesday night to move to third on the log and this result will serve as a huge moralebooster for the visit of log-leaders Pirates.
Sundowns claimed all the six points from the last two matches against Chippa United and Stars, while Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs and Polokwane.
Against Stars, the Sundowns coach refreshed his starting lineup by handing forgotten midfielder Aubrey Ngoma his first start of the season and he returned with a solid shift before he was replaced by Tiyani Mabunda on the hour mark.
Pitso Mosimane also handed striker Jeremy Brockie a chance and the under-pressure New Zealander repaid the faith in him with the opening goal.
Brockie broke his goal-scoring duck in the 12th minute with a left-footed shot from close range to give Stars goalkeeper Ali Sangare no chance after he connected with a cross from Lebohang Maboe.
Mosimane would be concerned that they did not add to their tally in the second half because his attackers missed a plethora of chances.
The other worry would be that goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse looks suspect.
The other goals for Sundowns came from man-of-thematch Gaston Sirino, who showed nerves of steel to convert from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after referee Victor Hlungwani adjudged Bangaly Keita to have hacked Ngoma in the box.
Three minutes later, Sirino stretched Sundowns’ lead with a thunderous left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty box.
Harris Tchilimbou pulled one back after 36 minutes from a cross by Judas Moseamedi.
Stars, who lost Nyiko Mobbie to a red card on the stroke of fulltime, remain eight on the standings.
Kaizer Chiefs have been just a little more circumspect in their approach in their last two games, and the approach yielded a second 1-0 result for Amakhosi in their Absa Premiership matchup against Black Leopards at FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.
And it was their ultimate Mr Consistency, Willard Katsande, who delivered the 42ndminute headed goal that separated the teams and earned Chiefs a second 1-0 winning result in four days following their Telkom Knockout quarterfinal victory by that margin at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday.
Chiefs’ new Madagascan Dax was given a first start by coach Giovanni Solinas having previously made two substitute appearances, and put in a solid shift in central midfield just in front of Katsande.
Amakhosi did just enough to claim to have edged the first half, and consequently took the slenderest lead into the break.
It was Polokwane, though, who had the first two chances inside the opening 10 minutes.
First, big Zambian striker Mwape Musonda, down the right, and then Phathutshedzo Nange down the left, were played into the box to produce cleanly struck shots on target that forced solid saves from Itumeleng Khune.
But Chiefs regrouped and found their shape.
Amakhosi took the lead after forcing a corner through pressure.
Khama Billiat’s delivery was flicked on at the near post by Ramahlwe Mphahlele as Katsande was able to bullishly force his way in front of a challenge and head an ultimately easy finish from three metres past King Ndlovu. –