Chiefs, Sundowns renew rivalry

Absa Premiership heavyweights Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns will renew their rivalry when they meet at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday, 5 January 2019, kick-off at 15h30 CAT.

Chiefs will be looking to pick up where they left off in 2018, having beaten SuperSport United 1-0 at home in their final league match of the year on December 12. The result helped ‘bed in’ new coach Ernst Middendorp.

The German is currently in his second tenure at the club (having managed Chiefs from 2005 to 2007) and will be hoping to make a real statement in this match against ‘Downs.

The Amakhosi have claimed 11 points from seven home matches this season. As hosts, they have lost matches to Bidvest Wits and Polokwane City in the 2018/19 season.

Sundowns maintained their record as the only unbeaten team in the league this season – but played to a seventh draw in the space of 12 matches – when they were held 0-0 at home by Baroka FC on December 11.

Coach Pitso Mosimane will hope to lead his team to a second straight PSL title, but the challenge of balancing this with their commitments in the CAF Champions League will not be easy.

The Brazilians have claimed 14 points from six away matches this season, with their last result on the road a 2-1 win at Tshwane rivals SuperSport United in early December.

In head-to-head stats, Sundowns and Chiefs have met in 67 league matches since 1985. The Amakhosi have claimed 27 wins compared to 20 for the Brazilians, while 20 matches have been drawn. The Soweto side has won 17 of their 33 home matches in the rivalry, suffering five defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season in Tshwane they played to a 1-1 draw, with goals from Ricardo Nascimento and Ramahlwe Mphahlele. The Amakhosi are unbeaten in their last four league matches against the Brazilians.

Chiefs v Sundowns – Head-to-head, league since 1985

Matches played 67

Chiefs wins 27

Sundowns wins 20

Draws 20

Last five results (League only, most recent first)

Chiefs | W | L | D | W | L
Sundowns | D | W | D | W | W