Orlando Pirates face a tricky test against Polokwane City in the Betway Premiership as they seek to recover from a bruising 3-0 defeat to FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo in the CAF Champions League second qualifying round.
The loss in Lubumbashi on Sunday snapped their 11-match unbeaten streak and left their continental ambitions hanging by a thread ahead of the decisive return leg this weekend.
Prior to their CAF Champions League rematch, the Buccaneers must navigate a tricky domestic fixture against Rise and Shine, who arrive in Soweto brimming with confidence and level on points.
Read: Miguel Cardoso reveals how Mamelodi Sundowns prepared to crush Remo Stars
Despite a stuttering start to the season, Pirates have hit their stride under head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, stringing together five consecutive league victories to climb to third place with 15 points from seven matches.
The clash promises to be a tightly contested affair, with both sides eager to assert themselves in the top half of the table.
Squad rotation may now be necessary, especially for key players like Evidence Makgopa and Nkosinathi Sibisi, both of whom featured heavily in recent national and club fixtures.
City, meanwhile, sit sixth with 15 points from nine games and have won three of their last four league matches.
However, they’ve been less convincing on the road, scoring just twice in four away games and managing a single victory.
The last time the two sides met was in the MTN8 quarterfinals, where Pirates emerged 2-0 winners, continuing a dominant run over the Limpopo-based side that has seen them unbeaten in this fixture for more than a decade.
While Pirates have one eye on Saturday’s crucial CAF showdown, they know dropping points in the league could stall their surge toward the summit.
With both sides on 15 points and chasing the shadow of Mamelodi Sundowns, Wednesday’s clash promises to be fiercely contested and potentially pivotal.