Kick off is at 15h00.
Swallows were given a 3-1 beating by Santos in Germiston, despite taking the lead through Japhet Zwane, while Chiefs fell to Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties in a match they could, and should, have won within regulation time.
Amakhosi simply failed to capitalise on their chances and the Brazilians took full advantage of their charity, leaving Chiefs to contemplate what could have been.
Now Muhsin Ertugral’s team have only the league to focus on, and they must attempt to prevent a second consecutive bottom half finish after they came home in ninth place on the PSL log in 2006/07.
Swallows, though, have similar ambitions and they will be fired up for this Soweto Derby against a team they defeated earlier in the season thanks to goals from Sandile Ndlovu and former Chiefs defender Bevan Fransman.
The Birds are placed seventh on 33 points, while Amakhosi’s floundering league campaign sees them in ninth with 30 points.
However, Chiefs are searching for a third consecutive win in the Absa Premiership following 4-1 and 1-0 results against Free State Stars and AmaZulu respectively.
Derrick Spencer is suspended for the match having collected his third yellow card of the season when he came on as a second half substitute during Chiefs’ Cup defeat.
Spencer also received cards against AmaZulu on December 5th and Jomo Cosmos on February 17th.
“Given the problems I have had with injuries this season, I was aiming to play in as many of the remaining league matches as possible. Obviously having to miss out on playing in a derby game is not ideal, but I have to now look forward to our next game against Sundowns the following week,” he tells the Amakhosi website.
Apart from Spencer’s absence, Muhsin Ertugral will have a full strength team to select for the match with Swallows.
“Looking at the kind of physical game we were involved in with Sundowns I must say that I am pleased that we did not have any injured players in that game. So it’s good for us and we can go forward knowing that we have our strongest squad available,” Ertugral adds.
Swallows for their part are unbeaten in their last five league matches, picking up 11 points out of a possible 15.
Birds’ winger Japhet Zwane has already vowed to fight tooth and nail to ensure his team finishes the season in the Top 8.
“We started the season well but for some or other reasons we slipped down the log. The remaining league matches are must wins so that we rack up points to finish in the Top 8.
“Chiefs also only have a Top 8 place to play for, so they will be dangerous,” Zwane adds.
However, if head-to-head statistics are anything to go by, then Chiefs should emerge victors: they have won 24 games to Swallows' eight in their 46 league meetings since 1985.
Swallows:Date H/A Opponent Result23/03/08 A Jomo Cosmos D 0-009/03/08 H Thanda Royal Zulu D 0-005/03/08 A Black Leopards W 3-102/03/08 H Bloemfontein Celtic W 3-127/02/08 A Mamelodi Sundowns W 3-1
Chiefs:21/03/08 H AmaZulu W 1-009/03/08 A Free State Stars W 4-105/03/08 H Platinum Stars D 0-001/03/08 A Ajax Cape Town D 1-123/02/08 H SuperSport United L 0-1
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS:League meetings since 1996/97:
1996/97Chiefs 0 Swallows 0Swallows 0 Chiefs 0
1997/98Swallows 0 Chiefs 1 (Makua)Chiefs 2 (Batchelor 2) Swallows 0
1998/99Swallows 0 Chiefs 1 (Batchelor)Chiefs 3 (Muchichwa, Tshisevhe, Lebese) Swallows 0
1999/2000Swallows 1 (Auseb (og)) Chiefs 2 (Lebese, Nomvete)Chiefs 1 (Tshisevhe) Swallows 0
2000/01Swallows 0 Chiefs 0Chiefs 1 (Ouseb) Swallows 2 (Niemach, Mazibuko)
2001/02Chiefs 1 (Zwane) Swallows 1 (Nombe)Swallows 1 (Sebona) Chiefs 5 (Pule 2, Permall, Nzama, Zwane)
2002/03Chiefs 4 (Fredericks, Musasa, Mabedi) Swallows 2 (Ngobeni, McNab)Swallows 2 (Sebona, McNab (pen)) Chiefs 3 (Radebe 2, Zwane)
2003/04Chiefs 2 (Musasa, Mooki) Swallows 1 (Lewis)Swallows 0 Chiefs 2 (Mbesuma, Radebe)
2004/05Swallows 1 (Lota) Chiefs 0Chiefs 2 (Mbesuma 2) Swallows 0
2005/06Swallows 1 (Niang) Chiefs 1 (Schalkwyk)Chiefs 1 (Schalkwyk) Swallows 1 (Monyai)
2006/07 Chiefs 2 (Nkosi, Bartlett (pen)) Swallows 0Swallows 1 (Botes) Chiefs 1 (Motaung (pen))
2007/08Chiefs 1 (Bartlett) Swallows 2 (Ndlovu, Fransman)
