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After recharging their batteries, the Absa Premiership campaigners are back in full swing next week – albeit just for three rounds of fixtures before yet another international break.
During the break coaches had a chance to fix their mistakes from the opening quarter and the second one promises to be lit – starting on Wednesday.
The most anticipated clash of the round will definitely be between the cross town rivals Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday (October 27).
Games between these sides have been hard to predict and this one is no different.
Pitso Mosimane welcomes Ernst Middendorp to Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday, knowing that a win will leapfrog Amakhosi to the top of the log.
But before this epic fixture in Pretoria, Downs have a date with unpredictable Highlands Park on Wednesday to catch up with the rest of the teams.
A win for Sundowns could see them winning the first Q-Innovation as this would be their seventh game of the season.
Another side in contention for the season’s first phase of Q-Innovation is Bidvest Wits who are lying second on the log behind earlypace-setters Chiefs.
All eyes will be on Orlando Pirates interim coach Rhulani Mokwena to see if he brings some changes in the second round after huffing and puffing since he assumed the caretaker role in August.
Mokwena is already under pressure to start delivering results following his unimpressive start.
Similarly, coach Benni McCarthy has not had the best start to the season as Cape Town City have only registered two victories so far in the campaign. The 41-year-old will be out to prove a point otherwise he risks being sacked if the poor results persist.
Elsewhere, the spotlight will be on Polokwane City who started well but have watched in horror as the wheels have come off with two back-to-back losses to Highlands and Stellenbosch FC.
City’s coach Zlatko Krmpotic will hope to bounce back at the expense of Steve Komphela’s out-of-sorts Golden Arrows on Saturday.
The Fifa international break also served as a welcome relief for the newcomer coaches Norman Mapeza, Luc Eymael and Jozef Vukušic who had a chance to work extensively with their new sides, Chippa United, Black Leopards and AmaZulu, respectively.
READ: Absa Premiership: A break for reflection
Time is not on their side to stamp their authority as they need to move their teams away from the relegation zone.
Some coaches are already on borrowed time and it will depend on who blinks first in the next batch of matches.
The opening quarter already had three casualties – Cavin Johnson (AmaZulu), Clinton Larsen (Chippa) and Lionel Soccoia (Leopards) – and others are already looking over their shoulders as the axe is hovering over them.
After registering his first victory in the top flight league just before the break, Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker will be hoping to continue where his newly promoted side left off when they beat Polokwane City away from home a fortnight ago.
Vukušic also guided AmaZulu to their first full points of the season with a win over Cape Town City and will be yearning for more positive results.
Chippa will be hoping that former Zimbabwean international Mapeza is who they have been waiting for to lead them to their first win of the season.
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