Stellenbosch FC and Mamelodi Sundowns have been involved in epic tussles in the past.
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If Stellenbosch FC were hoping to catch Mamelodi Sundowns still suffering from a hangover after the Pretoria club’s exceptional CAF Champions League semi-final exploits over the weekend, they are in for a rude awakening.
The two sides are set to meet in a crucial Betway Premiership encounter at Loftus Versveld on Wednesday.
It is the same venue at which Sundowns booked a second consecutive CAF Champions League final berth through a 2-0 aggregate victory over Tunisian giants Esperance last Saturday.
It was an exceptional achievement, cheered on by a sold-out Loftus crowd, which included luminaries such as SAFA President Danny Jordaan.
But such is the professionalism of Sundowns that their coach Miguel Cardoso is already focusing on facing Stellies, especially with an in-form Orlando Pirates having overtaken the Brazilians at the summit of the table this past weekend.
Sundowns, however, do still have two matches, including the Stellies encounter, in hand on the Bucs.
“What is in my head right now, let me tell you, it's Stellenbosch on Wednesday,” Cardoso said.
“That's in my head right now and nothing more. I will think about Stellenbosch, there is no doubt.
"We're going to fight a lot to win for sure... a lot, a lot, until the last minute. We are very committed to that. Having [a] positive approach is very important.”
Stellenbosch could ultimately have a pivotal part to play in the League title race. After facing Sundowns on Wednesday, they also await the arrival of Pirates in Cape Town on May 5.
Taking points off either side could be hugely influential, although Stellenbosch FC’s wily coach Gavin Hunt is having none of it, preferring to adopt the underdog tag by playing down his team’s chances of producing an upset against the two best teams in the country at the moment.
“I think you've got to worry about yourself a little bit. It's a nice coach's line, that!” Hunt said after his team’s 3-1 victory over Sekhkhune United.
“But I really don’t know if we're good enough yet. You know, I don't think we're at that stage yet. Sundowns have got the quality thing when they go forward, so I don't know if we'll have a chance against them,” he added.
“It's very difficult to play against both sides because of what they've got, you know what I'm saying? We’ll go there and try and put up a fight, that's for sure. You never know in football. They could have one of those nights, they hit the crossbar five times but it'd be very difficult for us.
“We will get there. I know that we'll get back there to where we were, and my job is to get this team back to where it was. We just need to box a little bit clever and, as I said, try to get ourselves out of our situation first. And then we can do what we have to do, you know.”