Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs face off for the third time this season when the PSL champions host Amakhosi at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday Match 1.
Sundown already have the upper hand as they beat Chiefs in the two meetings, while they are 26 points ahead of the Soweto giants, even if they have played a game more.
Form and statistics therefore favour Sundowns but there is pride at stake, besides the three points, which Chiefs will be seeking to protect as they look to bounce back from their 4-1 thrashing by SuperSport United in their last match.
Ahead of the match, Afrik-Foot looks at the top five things to look forward to during the clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Goals, goals & more goals
Sundowns and Chiefs rarely play out drab draws as in their last 10 meetings, there have been two or more goals in nine of them.
That includes seven scored in two matches already this season when Sundowns won 2-1 in September before thrashing the Soweto giants 4-0 in November.
Chiefs have not tightened it up at the back up to now, as they have conceded more than they have scored, which gives Sundowns hope of adding onto their woes.
Sundowns on the other side are on a roll, having scored 22 goals in February alone, netting four in as many games and three twice during that period, while Chiefs have also proved that they can score goals when the opponent allows them space to play.
Woe unto wobbly Chiefs defence
Still on the Chiefs’ defence, it will be a massive task for the back four as they have already conceded 23 goals, two more than they have scored for a negative goal difference (-2), with only three other teams (AmaZulu, Marumo Gallants and Magesi FC) letting in more than Nasreddine Nabi’s side.
Chiefs have also kept just three clean sheets in their 18 league matches and given Sumdown’s free-scoring nature currently, it is difficult to see how Nabi’s team will keep them away from scoring.
The only way out for Chiefs is to keep the score line low or outscore the Brazilians which will serve up an entertaining clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
One of the reasons for Chiefs’ poor defence is the way they play with Nabi instructing them to push forward as often as possible, which leaves plenty of space for opponents to exploit.
With the quality that Sundowns possess in midfield and attack, Chiefs, thrashed 4-1 by a struggling SuperSport United in their last match, could be on the end of another hiding if they do not defend well again.
Lucas Moripe lucky charm for Morris?
One man who will be returning to familiar surroundings is Chiefs striker Tashreeq Morris who made the switch in January from Superport.
Morris, who joined SuperSport last October, had played 11 games across all competitions for Matsatsantsa, including seven at home, and he scored two goals, both of them at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
One of the goals came against Chiefs and he will hope that he is third time lucky at the stadium which was home for the three-and-a-half months that he was with Sundowns’ Tshwane rivals.
Can Sundowns make it perfect 12?
However, while both teams look for the three points, form and the numbers heavily favour Sundowns, who are looking to go 12 matches straight against Chiefs without losing.
Sundowns have proved to be a thorn in the flesh for Chiefs as in in their last 11 meetings, they have won nine and drawn two, Amakhosi’s last victory over them coming in April 2021.
That run includes two 4-0 wins and a 5-1 thrashing, making the task difficult for Nabi and his men on Saturday.
Cardoso vs Nabi for the first time
The clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium will also be the first time Sundowns’ Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso puts his wits against Chiefs’ veteran Tunisian tactician Nasreddine Nabi.
Both Cardoso and Nabi were in North Africa last season, the former coaching Tunisian giants Esperance, while the latter was with Moroccan side FAR Rabat but are yet to face off.
It will therefore be interesting to see who comes out on top as Nabi’s style is now known, preferring to play an open game, while Cardoso’s Sundowns are beginning to show more swagger after a pragmatic approach when he first arrived.
Both coaches are highly experienced but it will also be down to how their squads execute the tactical plan on Saturday.
