Top vs Bottom
It is top vs bottom in the Betway Premiership as Orlando Pirates travel to Kruger United on Tuesday, ahead of their CAF Champions League preliminary-round trip to Mauritius to face La Cure Waves on Sunday.
Both look like epic mismatches, but with a busy schedule coming up now that continental football kicks in, it will be about how Pirates handle the workload and long-distance travel.
The Buccaneers have won six of their seven games in all competitions so far this season, their only blemish a 1-1 league draw at AmaZulu.
That was also the last time they conceded a goal, having kept four clean sheets in a row, including a ‘hat-trick’ against Sekhukhune, who they met three times last week.
All the numbers are pointing in the right direction for them, but less so for Kruger United.
The promoted team have a single point from their four league games so far, which came in a 0-0 draw at Marumo Gallants.
There have also been defeats to Kaizer Chiefs (1-3), Milford (1-2) and Durban City (0-2).
They are conceding lots of goals and not scoring. A recipe for disaster.
Looking at their squad, you wonder how it is going to get better from here.
Sundowns’ defensive worries
Mamelodi Sundowns have found their scoring mojo after a tough start to the season, but coach Miguel Cardoso will be slightly concerned at how many goals they are conceding.
The Brazilians have managed a single clean sheet in seven games so far and conceded 10 goals in that time, highly unusual for them.
They have conceded two goals in four of those seven games, and when you consider they also conceded three against TS Galaxy and four versus Marumo Gallants at the end of last season, suddenly they look defensively frail.
Whether promoted Milford have the quality to take advantage of that on Wednesday remains to be seen, but they have made a bright start to the campaign with seven points from a possible 12, including wins over Siwelele and Kruger United, and a draw at Polokwane City.
Their single loss came at Orlando Pirates on the opening day.
But given Sundowns have not lost any of their last 31 home league games (W28 D3), during which they have scored 81 goals, it looks a tall order to get something from this one.
Sundowns have a bye in the CAF Champions League, so it is not clear why this game was moved from the weekend. Kaizer Chiefs, who also have a bye in the CAF Confederation Cup, have maintained their weekend fixture.
Mid-table battle
Two sides who have had a mixed start to the season clash on Tuesday when Durban City host Stellenbosch FC in Chatsworth.
City have managed five points from their four games (W1 D2 L1), while the new-look Stellenbosch have four (W1 D1 L2).
The Cape Winelands club have suddenly become bad travellers, which was never a particular problem for them in the past.
They are winless in nine on the road (D6 L3), with their last victory coming at Kaizer Chiefs in February.
But City have only one win in their last seven at home (D4 L2) and have been battling for goals, with a single one in their last four games in front of their own fans.
Stellenbosch have scored in only one of their last five away matches, but that was a crazy 3-3 draw at Polokwane City.
There have been goals in their games this season, with 12 scored at both ends (six for, six against). Only Mamelodi Sundowns (16) and TS Galaxy (14) have had more goals in their fixtures.
