Title contenders Bidvest Wits and Kaizer Chiefs will face an acid test of their credentials when they lock horns in an Absa Premiership clash at Bidvest Stadium on Tuesday evening. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Both teams can ill-afford to lose further ground on Mamelodi Sundowns in the race for league glory.
Defeat for either could prove a massive blow to their bid for top honours, with the Brazilians showing no sign of stopping following their emphatic 5-2 win over Free State Stars this past weekend.
The Amakhosi boast a proud record against Wits and haven't lost away to their Gauteng rivals since the first half of the 2002/03 season.
This, along with several injury concerns, will have Gavin Hunt worried. The Clever Boys are sweating on the fitness of James Keene, while Phumlani Ntshangase, Papy Faty, Onismor Bhasera and Nazeer Allie are all set to be absent for the crucial encounter.
Hunt explained, following his side’s 1-0 win over Golden Arrows, that Keene, who has scored five goals in five games, is unlikely to face Chiefs.
"We had to make changes because we have a lot of players who are either injured or suspended. James Keene is also injured and I don't think he will be back in time for the Chiefs clash," Hunt said.
Trailing Sundowns by six points after 18 rounds of league fixtures, Hunt is still optimistic about his team’s chances of winning the title this season.
"There are 12 games to go, so who knows," Hunt added.
"There's still a long way to go but they are playing very well at the moment, but we'll see how it goes."
Chiefs needed a late goal from Lorenzo Gordinho to beat Maritzburg United 3-2 at the weekend, keeping them within touching distance of Sundowns.
Steve Komphela is aware that something has to give on Tuesday. Defeat to Wits, coupled with a win for Sundowns on Wednesday, will open a 13 point gap between the Soweto giants and their Tshwane counterparts.
"It's a direct confrontation. They are there in the chasing pack, we are also there and we cannot let it slip," said the Chiefs head coach.
"So it is all about going in there with the understanding that both teams want it badly. It's not going to be an easy match. It's going to be very tight but the fact remains we have to keep chasing, and that's what we are doing currently.
"In terms of confidence, this [the win over Maritzburg] will help the players. There are stages where you might not give the best performance but you get the result. This helps the confidence a lot."
In head-to-head stats, Chiefs and Wits have met in 59 league matches since 1985.
The Amakhosi have 29 wins compared to 11 for the Clever Boys, while 19 matches have been drawn.
Wits have won just two of their 30 home matches against Chiefs, suffering 17 defeats in the process.
When the teams met earlier this season, the Amakhosi claimed a 2-1 home win at the Cape Town Stadium.
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