Orlando Pirates have a golden chance to go six points clear over rivals Mamelodi Sundowns this coming weekend.
With Masandawana doing battle in the CAF Champions League, the Buccaneers have an opportunity to extend their lead in the Betway Premiership and give themselves a healthy lead.
With a three-point lead, Pirates will look to put pressure on the chasing pack by winning their match against Marumo Gallants on Saturday afternoon.
A mid-week win over AmaZulu saw them snatch first place before another convincing performance in the Nedbank Cup round of 16 this past weekend.
Why Pirates have an advantage over Sundowns?
The two teams are set to face each other in the Betway Premiership on 18 February at the FNB Stadium. The Buccaneers could come into the match with a six-point gap, meaning they wouldn’t need a win to remain top of the log. A draw will still maintain a six-point gap, thus putting more pressure on the Brazilians.
Failure to beat Gallants, however, will not only give Downs belief but also bring Kaizer Chiefs into the mix. Amakhosi are five points behind, but a slip-up from their Soweto rivals will reignite their title ambition.
At the moment, Pirates and Sundowns are the main contenders for the league title with the Buccaneers having a slight advantage. All can change if they fail to beat Gallants and lose to the Brazilians on the 18th.
With Chiefs still to play, Abdeslam Ouaddou might find themselves second or third on the log should they fail to win their next three league matches.
For Pirates to put their hand on the trophy, they need to beat Sundowns and Chiefs in the coming weeks to make a statement. Another advantage they might have is if the Masandawana reach the knockout stages of the CAF Champions League.