Kaizer Chiefs are the kingmakers! Teko Modise explains why Amakhosi will determine who between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns win PSL tight race

On April 26, Premier Soccer League spectators will be treated to another Soweto Derby between Orlando Pirates and their traditional rivals, Kaizer Chiefs.

This is a high-stakes derby, given that Pirates need the points to keep their league title dream alive and Chiefs would fight to avoid another defeat to their cross-town rivals.

On May 6, Amakhosi will be up against Sundowns, another game that could determine the direction the race will take.

This is how the Glamour Boys find themselves at the centre of a race that they are mathematically out of.

Former Pirates and Sundowns star Teko Modise has argued that Amakhosi are going to influence who wins the league.

“I see it going to the penultimate match of the season. Kaizer Chiefs are above anyone who has to lift the trophy because they don’t need to be in form. They don’t need to play well to cause an upset; they just need to disrupt what is happening right now,” Modise told Carwash 2.0 Podcast.

“You have Sundowns that have just won 10 games in a row, but still, they are only a point ahead [of Pirates]. It just shows you how stiff the competition is. You might look at the fixtures and, with all due respect, you can say Pirates can do a double there and Sundowns can do a double there [both over Chiefs in the league].”

“That on its own is an incentive. Players will be hyped up. Those are games footballers want to play. I think for the first time in a long time, we see Chiefs as an important fixture, from the feeling of how the fans feel and from a title-deciding factor on both sides, for Pirates and Sundowns," he added.

“It will be decided before the last day. I don’t see Pirates at Orbit (College FC) being the game they need to win for the title."

After sealing their place in the CAF Champions League final, Downs head coach Miguel Cardoso is looking forward to the PSL games now.

“We need to think about the league, because the Champions League final will be played when the league is finished,” Cardoso said.

“Seven matches in 21 days — what is a helluva challenge but a beautiful thing to do.

“It’s very important to keep following us now in the league; we have one on Wednesday and then on the weekend. So it’s an appeal and a thank you: that we gather energy to follow us throughout the country, wherever we’re going to play.”

While Modise believes Chiefs will decide who is crowned the champion, former Pirates star Thulasizwe Mbuyane says it is going to be a tough race for the title contenders.

“It would be disappointing if they lose out on the league title after so much work. Apart from that, the team has played very well,” Mbuyane said.

“The coach has come in and made the team play good football. The players they’ve brought in are performing at a national team level.

"They are raising the flag high there. So, I think it’s fair to rate them 80% out of 100%. The missing 20% is due to the fact that they’ve dropped points in the last few games where they shouldn’t have.

"Finishing second on the log won’t be that bad. We can still qualify for Africa, so they need to cement their top-two spot. It won’t be easy for both Pirates and Sundowns.”