Saturday | January 21, 2023

There are few football fixtures that draw as much interest as the clash between the Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs Football Club (FC) and Pretoria’s supreme Mamelodi Sundowns FC.

Both clubs meet in a DStv Premiership match at the legendary FNB Stadium in Soweto, South of Johannesburg.

Even though there is always a huge anticipation for this draw, the gap between the duo is irreconcilable. It is way too much to bear. What it really shows at face value is the upper hand that Sundowns have over their historically accomplished opponents.

Amakhosi have had ambivalent spells in recent seasons in the Premier Soccer League (PSL). Although 2022/2023 is just a few games past the second round of league matches, it seems have not turned the corner. They lie 5th on the log table with 24 points after… league wins and… draws.

 In contrast, Sundowns are on the summit of the league standings with a commanding 43-point. Boosting the defending champions’ rights, the Brazilians have bagged five league titles one after the other.

Meanwhile Sundowns look forward to cementing their dominance in the league, Chiefs are figuring out how to stop their opponents’ onslaught. Thus, break the momentum, even if for a brief period.

The differences between the two Gauteng province powerhouses is quite staggering. Chiefs have one seven league games, half of what Sundowns won so far. While the Brazilians have lost only two games this season and Chiefs three times the number.

Having said that, this fixture ended in a 1-1 draw last season. Yet Chiefs were hammered 4-1 in the first round in the current league campaign.