It’s a numbers game, and the equation is not that complicated for Orlando Pirates.
Going into the weekend, the Buccaneers have their fate in their own hands because victories over Magesi FC, Durban City and Orbit College may be enough to deliver the league championship that has eluded them for 13 years.
The advantage is with Pirates after defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns dropped two crucial points during their ill-tempered 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus on Wednesday night.
After Sundowns’ draw with Amakhosi, Pirates remained in second spot on the Betway Premiership log, but the important factor is they have a game in hand.
Even more important for Pirates is that they boast a superior goal difference of seven goals, which may prove insurmountable for Sundowns to overturn in their remaining two matches.
Our obligation is to get the six points ahead of us and wait and see.
— Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso
If they both win their remaining matches, they will end up on 71 points, and the destination of the trophy will be decided by goal difference that is likely to favour Pirates.
Their battle for supremacy continues on Saturday, where Sundowns will be looking to return to winning ways against Siwelele FC at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Later that evening, Pirates will be overwhelming favourites against bottom-of-the-log side Magesi FC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, where only three points will suffice.
Though Pirates are favourites on paper, Magesi might prove to be difficult to beat because they are fighting for their lives and know defeat will push them closer to automatic relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
If Sundowns collect three points in the earlier match against improving Siwelele, who have top-eight ambitions of their own, pressure will be on Pirates to also win.
In the match against Magesi, it remains to be seen if coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is going to continue with striker Evidence Makgopa before favourite Yanela Mbuthuma.
Makgopa was given a rare opportunity in the starting line-up against Stellies before misfiring Mbuthuma and returned with a match-winning contribution of two goals.
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso said their target is to win the remaining matches against Siwelele and TS Galaxy and wait and see what happens with Pirates.
“Our obligation is to get the six points ahead of us and wait and see,” said Cardoso.
“We have to recover the players because we have another match on Saturday against Siwelele. If you remember, Chiefs lost to Siwelele recently, and this means we have to approach this match with the highest sense of responsibility.
“It will not be as easy as you may imagine, especially because of the situation we are in. We have lost several key players due to injuries, and coach Hugo Broos must be happy that it is not those that are with Bafana Bafana.”
There was no immediate diagnosis, and Cardoso said they will be advised by the medical team on injuries to utility player Thapelo Morena, who landed awkwardly.
On the negative side, Cardoso confirmed the seasons of defender Keanu Cupido and midfielder Jayden Adams are over due to injury and suspension, respectively.
There is also a serious matter of a third-spot finish between Chiefs and AmaZulu, who are battling for a place in the increasingly lucrative Confederation Cup next season.
The other battle of interest is who is going to finish in the top eight, and it is a battle involving Golden Arrows, Siwelele, Stellenbosch and Richards Bay.
It is dog-eat-dog in the basement where Magesi, Marumo Gallants, Orbit College and TS Galaxy are fighting tooth and nail to avoid automatic relegation.
Danger at the bottom half of the table is not only automatic relegation; the team that finishes second from the bottom will be sucked into the promotion play-offs.
The play-offs include teams that finished in second and third spots in the Motsepe Foundation Championship and the one that finished second from the bottom in the PSL.
Kruger United have already been promoted to the PSL from the Motsepe Foundation Championship, and the battle for the two play-off spots is between Milford FC, Cape Town City, Hungry Lions and Casric Stars.
It is going to be helter-skelter in the coming days of the PSL. The question is, who is going to prevail?
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