Kazier Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns await ahead of the three weeks that could decide Orlando Pirates’ title fate

FEBRUARY could be a make-or-break month for Betway Premiership log leaders Orlando Pirates, who are facing three defining fixtures starting this weekend.

Lining up for the Soweto side are the unpredictable Marumo Gallants (February 14th), title contenders and perennial league winners Mamelodi Sundowns (February 18th) and bitter rivals and neighbours Kaizer Chiefs (February 28th).

All three fixtures carry significance that could define Pirates’ run as they look to win the league title for the first time in 14 years:

-Gallants:  The side that brought Pirates’ current head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou into the country last season, is one of the two teams that beat the Buccaneers at the beginning of the season.

Pirates’ only other league loss so far this season came against Sekhukhune United during the same period opening period.

Given that Gallants have only three wins in 17 league games this season, the conclusion can be made that maybe they had — and could still have — Pirates’ number due to their understanding of Ouaddou’s hand.

This could be tricky factor ahead of the Saturday afternoon (3.30pm kick-off) meeting of the two sides at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

The argumentative will be quick to point out that Pirates, though, did rid themselves of that Gallants’ scar when they beat them 1-0 to win the Carling Knockout Cup in December.

Fair enough, and that only highlights the strides Pirates have made since those two opening league losses, and so only the daring brave would be caught putting their money on a Gallants win on Saturday.

-Sundowns: After the weekend action the Brazilians will have a league game in hand with 15 outings to Pirates’ 16. However, after eight consecutive Premiership titles, Sundowns know exactly how to make that count.

Those developments will surely add further intrigue ahead of their FNB Stadium meeting on February 18, as Pirates could be six points clear at the top by then, although Sundowns will be holding a game-in-hand as their wild card. A win for Pirates on the day would put serious wind in their sails and start to paint a clearer picture as far as the league race is concerned.

-Chiefs: On the side, are a different story altogether as it is often said that players need no motivation ahead of the Soweto Derby.

A lot will be riding on that game besides the hype generated by the fact that it is the first Soweto Derby of the season — a fact laid bare when the tickets for the encounter were sold out in a matter of hours.

Among other things influencing the high tempo in that match is the renewed rivalry between the two most popular teams in the country.

Pirates have for the past few seasons been league title contenders, while Chiefs have been a shadow of their former selves — finishing out of the Top-Eight in the past two seasons.

This time around though, they themselves are proudly wearing the league title-contenders’ tag, a flame that was ignited when they beat Pirates in last season’s Nedbank Cup final.

Chiefs currently occupy the third-place spot where they are level with AmaZulu FC on 30 points, and so what better way for them to use Pirates as a ladder come February 28.

Chiefs and Sundowns themselves have so far lost only once respectively this season, but a Pirates free of continental commitments, could very well channel all their strengths into the league at this stage.