Pirates hold the slight edge with a +25 goal difference compared to Sundowns’ +24, but it could barely be tighter as we head into the home stretch in the coming months.
Both are out of the Nedbank Cup, but Sundowns must still contend with the knockout rounds of the CAF Champions League as a distraction, though that could come to an end in the next 10 days if they do not get past Stade Malien in the quarter-finals.
Here is a look at each club’s final 10 games in the league, subject to fixture changes.
Orlando Pirates
Six of Pirates’ final 10 games are against teams currently in the bottom half of the table, including matches against the bottom two, Magesi FC and Orbit College, in their last three games.
Coupled with a home game against a tricky but beatable Durban City, it is a gentle run-in for the side in those closing weeks.
They have already played Sundowns and Sekhukhune United twice, but do have a clash against Kaizer Chiefs in the second Soweto Derby on 25 April, though the way they dispatched AmaKhosi 3-0 in February will give them confidence.
Five games are at home and five away, with trips to TS Galaxy, Richards Bay, Stellenbosch FC, Magesi FC and Orbit College.
At home they meet Siwelele, Lamontville Golden Arrows, AmaZulu, Chiefs and Durban City.
No games are ‘easy’, but Pirates will look at this run-in and feel it is about as good as they could have hoped for.
Remaining fixtures
14 March: Siwelele (h)
22 March: TS Galaxy (a)
7 April: Lamontville Golden Arrows (h)
10 April: Richards Bay (a)
18 April: AmaZulu (h)
25 April: Kaizer Chiefs (h)
5 May: Stellenbosch (a)
8 May: Magesi FC (a)
16 May: Durban City (h)
23 May: Orbit College (a)
Mamelodi Sundowns
Sundowns play six of their remaining 10 games at home, which will be a bonus for them, not just because they will have their own fans in the stadium, but also because it slightly limits their travel.
Their fixtures may well be impacted by the CAF Champions League if they go deep into the tournament, especially the final few, which clash with the dates for the two-legged decider.
FIFA has stipulated that club competitions must finish by May 25 to give national teams time to prepare for the World Cup, so there is little wiggle room.
Sundowns’ away clashes are at Durban City, Polokwane City, Richards Bay and TS Galaxy. All are tricky in their own way against teams they may not lose to, but could find difficult to break down.
At home they tackle ailing Marumo Gallants, Stellenbosch FC, Chippa United, Kaizer Chiefs, Siwelele and Polokwane City again on the final day.
It means five games against teams currently in the top half, but it is also not a particularly taxing run-in compared to what it might have been.
They do have a run of four games in 12 days in April that could do much to shape their season. Luckily, they have the squad to cope with heavy rotation.
The PSL, in their wisdom, should really have scheduled a clash with Pirates in the final few weeks to give us a potential title decider, as they knew ahead of the season that these were likely to be the two contenders.
Remaining fixtures
17 March: Marumo Gallants (h)
7 April: Durban City (a)
11 April: Stellenbosch FC (h)
15 April: Polokwane City (a)
18 April: Chippa United (h)
25 April: Richards Bay (a)
6 May: Kaizer Chiefs (h)
9 May: Siwelele (h)
16 May: TS Galaxy (a)
23 May: Polokwane City (h)
* Fixtures are subject to change due to CAF Champions League commitments
