MOGAMAD ALLIE: The scramble to finish second behind mighty Sundowns

With the Premier Soccer League title en route on autopilot to Mamelodi Sundowns’ headquarters at Chloorkop, the race for second could take a decisive turn this weekend. 

SuperSport United, who hold a handy five-point lead over nearest challengers Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, could put themselves in pole position to claim the runners-up spot with a win over the Buccaneers at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday (kickoff 5.45m).  

An eight-point gap with seven games to play will make it difficult for the chasing pack to catch Matsatsantsa who head into the game on the back of a six-game unbeaten run in the league. 

The Buccaneers are also on a decent run winning five and losing two — against arch rivals  Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs — in their past seven league games and victory will take them to within two points of second spot. Significantly, it will also leave  Sundowns needing just two points from their remaining seven games to clinch the title.  

History is very much in favour of Pirates who have emerged victorious in their past four home league games against SuperSport. The last time the Tshwane side won an away game against the Sea Robbers was back in January 2014 when beanpole Senegalese striker Mame Niang and debutant Dino Ndlovu, both second half substitutes, scored in a 2-1 win for Cavin Johnson’s side. Happy Jele replied with a consolation injury time goal.  

Chiefs, who are also chasing the runners-up position, must be favoured to beat a struggling Maritzburg United side that will need to start picking up points if they are to haul themselves away from the relegation zone where they’ve set up camp since the start of the season. 

Chiefs needed two extra time goals to defeat a 10-man Maritzburg side that lost Travis Grahams to a first half red card in last month’s Nedbank Cup clash but they also claimed a 3-0 home win in their first round encounter in August so the odds are heavily stacked in their favour. 

With time running out, the Team of Choice’s fans will be hoping for a morale-boosting win by claiming a big scalp on Saturday (kickoff 8pm). After a richly promising run of three successive wins after losing his first game back in charge of Maritzburg, Fadlu Davids has picked up just a single point in his next five games, a 1-1 draw against AmaZulu when they were unlucky to concede an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time.  

For all the criticism he has received from the hard-to-please Chiefs fan base, Arthur Zwane could yet salvage the season with a top four finish that will guarantee continental football next season. 

Richards Bay will have to overcome their emotions when they travel to the Mbombela Stadium for Sunday’s encounter against TS Galaxy (kickoff 3.30pm) as they play their first game since the tragic death of their captain Siphamandla “Spepe” Mtolo two weeks ago. 

The club has since retired the No 4 shirt of Mtolo who collapsed during a training session less than 48 hours after playing in the Rich Boys’ last league match against Kaizer Chiefs that ended in a 1-0 defeat. 

It will be interesting to see how the Galaxy players perform amid allegations the club is experiencing financial problems. The two sides played to a goalless draw on September 18 in what was their first meeting in the top flight. Previously they met four times in the second tier with TS Galaxy unbeaten in their two home meetings with the Rich Boys, winning one and drawing their last home encounter 1-1 in November 2019.