Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have faced each other twice this season in the MTN8, and the matches highlighted how evenly matched the two teams are.
Both legs of the semi-finals ended in a 1-1 draw, leading to penalties to determine the winner. Last season, both teams also claimed victories against each other in the league.
In terms of quality, these teams are undeniably the best in South Africa and rank among the top 10 teams in Africa.
Over the past three years, Pirates have won seven trophies, while Sundowns have dominated the local league for a decade.
Having already clashed twice this season, fans will have another opportunity to witness this rivalry again in a league match in two weeks.
What is preventing Pirates from achieving the same level of success as Sundowns?
The Buccaneers have finished as runners-up in the league for three consecutive seasons. Although they put up a strong fight last campaign, they ultimately fell 11 points short of Sundowns.
This season, with Sundowns struggling, it seemed like it might finally be the year that Pirates would capitalise.
Abseslam Ouaddou’s team achieved eight straight wins and entered the CAF Champions League second preliminary round against Saint-Eloi Lupopo with confidence.
Unfortunately, Pirates have often faced elimination in the second preliminary round, but no one expected a 3-0 defeat this time. They collapsed completely and now must score four unanswered goals to overturn the tie. This difference in performance separates Pirates from Sundowns.
The Brazilians consistently get the job done, while the Buccaneers tend to struggle under pressure. Sundowns secure tight victories for three points, while Pirates drop points in matches they should win easily. In the last decade, Sundowns have advanced to the group stages of competitions with relative ease, but Pirates have only progressed past the preliminary rounds twice.
Although the two teams are evenly matched, Sundowns have a knack for winning challenging matches.