Johannesburg - Orlando Pirates, currently occupying the top spot on the DStv premiership log are sweating over the fitness of two of their star men ahead of their visit to Kwazulu-Natal to face Maritzburg United.
The Buccaneers will have to contend with a Team of Choice outfit still looking to kick-start their new season, when the two sides meet at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Sunday at 5:30pm.
Deon Hotto limped off for Pirates n their last match against Royal AM in the MTN8 meaning he now joins Thembinkosi Lorch in the race against time to be passed fit, for what is expected to be a burdensome encounter against Maritzburg United.
The Sea Robbers, although still very much a work in progress, seem to be slowly getting the wind into their sails and this has been displayed in their recent trend of results, the kind of form that has placed them on top of the log.
For John Maduka's Team of Choice, it will be a case of attempting to break the longstanding dominance of Pirates over this Maritzburg side, and hopefully start to make their way up and away from the relegation zone as soon as they can.
The Buccaneers haven't lost to Maritzburg in the last 13 encounters, a record that they have nurtured since the last time they suffered defeat at the Harry Gwala Stadium back in 2016, six years ago now.
In the earlier kickoff, bottom of the table Marumo Gallants will welcome the visit of potential relegation rivals Swallows FC to the Peter Mokaba Stadium at 3pm.
Although the league standings and the points differences are still fairly close after five matches played, Bahlabane Ba Ntwa and new coach Romain Folz have reason to worry as they prop up the table.
Following two goalless stalemates to kick off their season, Gallants have scored three goals in their last two matches, a decent return for a side expected to be battling to survive at the end of the season.
Coach Folz's attempts at playing an expansive and more creative brand of football has hampered their defensive structure, an interesting fact considering their next opponents Swallows.
The Dube Birds seem to have learned from their mistakes of last season as they continued to chip away and gather as many points as possible in the early phase of the campaign.
They currently occupy eighth place on the log with seven points to their name, and are playing some of the most entertaining football in the league.
IOL Sport