Chippa United and Mamelodi Sundowns will renew their rivalry in the Absa Premiership with a showdown at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon. Kick-off is at 3:30pm.

The Chilli Boys have enjoyed a stellar run of form and are currently eight league matches without defeat, following a 1-1 draw away to Free State in midweek. The Eastern Cape side netting a late equalizer for what was their sixth stalemate of the campaign.

Teboho Moloi’s troops have done well on home soil this season - having suffered a mere defeat in five turns as hosts. Their last match on their own turf a 2-1 win over Cape Town City in Mdantsane.

In Sundowns, though, Chippa welcome a club seeking revenge for the Telkom Knockout exit they suffered at the hands of their hosts earlier this season.

The Brazilians have started to gain some sort of momentum following a slow start to the campaign, with Khama Billiat rising off the bench to great effect to lead the club to a 2-0 win over Bidvest Wits in Johannesburg, for their second successive league win.

Pitso Mosimane will be hoping that the victory provides the necessary spark his team need as they aim to continue their trek up the log standings.

Extraordinarily, Sundowns boast a 100 percent away record this season: five games on the road, five victories. In fact, all of their 15 league points have been claimed from away matches.

Last season the teams played to successive draws in the league. A 1-1 stalemate in the Eastern Cape, followed by a goalless deadlock in the reverse fixture, in Tshwane.

Predicted Starting 11:

Chippa United: Akpeyi; Macheke, Okwuosa, Bergman, Maphanga, Mvelase, Mdlinzo, Mako, Lentjies, Julies, Sekola.

Mamelodi Sundowns: Onyango; Langerman, Soumahoro, Madisha, Ngcongca, Kekana, Mabunda, Manyisa, T.Zwane, Billiat, Tau.

Head-to-Head Statistics:

ALL LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers
2012/13 Sundowns 1-0 Chippa Sangweni
2012/13 Chippa 1-1 Sundowns Qalanto; Arendse
2014/15 Chippa 1-1 Sundowns Sangweni; Malajila
2014/15 Sundowns 3-0 Chippa Sambu (og), Modise (pen), Ramagalela
2015/16 Chippa 0-1 Sundowns Laffor
2015/16 Sundowns 3-0 Chippa Castro, Modise, Billiat
2016/17 Chippa 1-1 Sundowns R. Manzini (pen); Arendse
2016/17 Sundowns 0-0 Chippa

LEAGUE RECORD (since 2012/13)

Home

P W D L GF GA
Chippa 4 0 3 1 3 4
Sundowns 4 3 1 0 7 0

Away

P W D L GF GA
Chippa 4 0 1 3 0 7
Sundowns 4 1 3 0 4 3

Total

P W D L GF GA
Chippa 8 0 4 4 3 11
Sundowns 8 4 4 0 11 3

What They Said

Chippa United head coach Teboho Moloi:

"We have been playing beautiful football of late, but that must now reflect on the log standings,” said Moloi.

“We respect Mamelodi Sundowns, but we also respect the teams below us in the league. The Absa Premiership is very tight and open this season - one game can make a big difference. We failed to convert our chances against Free State Stars and we need to polish our finishing.”

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane:

“Games in hand don’t work, I don’t want to talk about those things in case they jinx me,” said Mosimane. “I admire Baroka FC and Cape Town City, I think Bidvest Wits will come up slowly with the quality they have - there is not a lot to separate the teams.

“I know Sundowns, we have started slowly every year, we never take the lead, hopefully this time we can take the lead. We are playing Chippa next and our focus is on them. They are very strong, they beat us in the Telkom Knockout and we have to respect them.”

Key Players:

Chippa United

Samuel Julies: The dynamic attacker scored the goal that knocked his former employers out of this season’s TKO, and was also the main protagonist as the Chilli Boys claimed an emphatic win away to the Clever Boys. With the Brazilians back in town, Julies will up his game once more with Moloi counting on him for a bit of flair in the final third.

Paseka Mako: The versatile left-back, who has slotted in adequately on the wing this season, has all the tricks and flicks to unsettle any defence in South Africa’s top-flight. Don’t be fooled by his size, Mako has a lot of heart and will run up and down the touchline for 90 minutes and beyond.

Mamelodi Sundowns

Khama Billiat: The Zimbabwe international returned to form with a brace in midweek, with his eye for goal warmly welcomed by Mosimane who often watches his side create a lot of chances, without rattling the back of the net. Billiat brings back that killer instinct with his movement off the ball to unsettle the Chilli Boys, who will do well to keep him quiet.

Hlompho Kekana: The Brazilians inspirational captain has been a force for the club this season and is one of the most consistent performers in the Absa Premiership. With a rocket of a right foot and a killer pass - Kekana can not only unlock the tightest of defences, but also fire one past the keeper from the halfway line, and that’s no lie.