Mamelodi Sundowns will need a strong finish in their last four matches in order to win a third straight South Africa top-flight league crown.
The Masandawana who boast of Uganda Cranes’ skipper Denis Onyango, are three points behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs with 50 points from 26 matches in second place on the log.
Sundowns’ boss Pitso Mosimane did not field Onyango in their previous encounter - a 1-0 victory over Golden Arrows - on Monday.
The man nicknamed ‘Safe Hands’ is expected to return between the sticks, taking over from Zambian Kennedy Mweene, against Chiefs at Orlando Stadium on Thursday.
Chiefs defeated Sundowns 2-0 in the previous league meeting and the latter are motivated to revenge as well as close the gap.
“Funny enough, I don’t think Thursday is a title decider.” Mosimane told the local media. “The way I know this thing [the title race], the way I have been in this thing, sometimes the title might be decided at the last minute.”
However, Sundowns will mathematically require a big win to go top. “I always say to you guys that sometimes you don’t value a point. We might not even win against Chiefs,” he said.
“Of course, we want to make everything correct, but mathematically the league is not won on Thursday. How many more points do we have [to play for]? So, we have a chance.”
Since returning from the lockdown, Onyango has kept for Sundowns in four outings and of those, they have won none and drawn thrice.
SOUTH AFRICA PREMIER LEAGUE
TODAY’S FIXTURE - 7PM
Kaizer Chiefs vs. Sundowns
TABLE STANDINGS
Team P W D L F A Pts
Kaizer Chiefs 26 16 5 5 46 24 53
Sundowns 26 14 8 4 36 21 50
SuperSport 27 13 8 6 38 22 47
Bidvest Wits 26 12 9 5 28 19 45
Pirates 27 11 10 6 36 28 43
Maritzburg Utd 27 10 11 6 27 22 41
Cape Town 27 9 9 9 35 35 36
Highlands Park 27 8 10 9 28 33 34
Stellenbosch 27 9 7 11 24 31 34
Bloemfontein Celtic 26 8 9 9 39 37 33
Golden Arrows 27 8 9 10 22 30 33
Chippa Utd 27 7 9 11 16 24 30
Black Leopards 27 7 5 15 26 40 26
Baroka FC 27 6 7 14 16 23 25
AmaZulu FC 27 6 7 14 17 31 25
Polokwane City 27 7 3 17 24 38 24
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This writer is a global broadcaster and as well scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and sports presenter with Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune