Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates may have inadvertently done defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns a big favour by taking points off the Brazilians' closest challengers, SuperSport United.
On the weekend, Chiefs took two points off Matsatsantsa following a 1-1 draw at the FNB Stadium.
Then on Wednesday evening at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, SuperSport had to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Orlando Pirates, who themselves are not out of the title race, although their challenge is fading fast.
But more relevant though were the four points dropped by Kaitano Tembo's SuperSport United side. The way the season has been shaping up, it has been Matsatsantsa who have become the most likely team to battle Sundowns for the title.
Swallows FC, in their first season back in the top flight, are also up there, but with respect to the Birds, they surely don't have enough depth in their squad to go all the way.
The likes of Golden Arrows, Cape Town City and AmaZulu meanwhile are probably too far off the pace already, and lacking in a bit of consistency, to enter the race.
Therefore, if anyone is going to stop Downs from winning the league for a fourth consecutive season, and for the 11th time since the inception of the Premier Soccer league in 1996, it was going to be their crosstown rivals and three-time league winners, SuperSport.
But after dropping four points in two matches to the two Soweto rivals, Matsatsantsa’s own hopes have taken a knock.
They could potentially have been top of the table and heaping the pressure on the Brazilians. But instead, Tembo’s side is still three points adrift of Masandawana, having played two matches more.
United have also only won one of their last five league encounters, while Sundowns appear to be shifting into top gear at the moment and have won their last three league games. The Brazilians also have a far better goal difference, plus 19, compared to SuperSport’s plus 10.
And while Sundowns’ participation in the Caf Champions League could potentially prove a distraction, SuperSport may come to rue the four points dropped to the Soweto sides when it comes to the final weeks of the 2020 league season.
