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Can Chiefs stop the Sundowns train? Picture: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images
One huge local football clash and two big URC derbies will keep sports fans on the edge of their seats this weekend. Here are our predications for the biggest clashes in football and rugby this weekend.
Mamelodi Sundowns have the chance to go 18 points clear at the top of the table when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership on Saturday at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
Sundowns’ 4-2 win at Sekhukhune United on Wednesday was their 17th in 19 Premiership matches so far this season.
Miguel Cardoso’s side are already huge favourites to win an eighth league title in a row. Only Orlando Pirates have a realistic chance of catching Masandawana, with four games in hand on the Tshwane giants.
Soweto rivals Chiefs can give them a helping hand with a win on Saturday, but inconsistency has been the name of the game in their season so far. Amakhosi have lost as many games (seven) in the league as they have won.
They also lost both their meetings so far with Sundowns this season, in both the league and the Carling Knockout.
Prediction: Sundowns 3 Chiefs 1
Napoli face Inter on Saturday in a top of the table Serie A showdown. Antonio Conte’s Napoli lost their place at the top of the table last weekend to Inter, going down 2-1 away to Como, while Inter won 1-0 at home to Genoa.
Just a point separates the two sides as they meet at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter are in better form, having won four of their last five matches in all competitions, while Napoli have not won any of their last four Serie A games.
In November these two sides drew in Milan and a similar result looks likeliest here.
Prediction: Napoli 1 Inter 1
The first of back-to-back clashes between these sides on consecutives weekends is in Joburg on Saturday, with the return match in Durban next weekend, and expect a fired-up Lions to try run the Sharks off their feet on the highveld.
Ivan van Rooyen’s men also have revenge in mind following being pipped at the post in last season’s Currie Cup final, so there’s more than just log points at stake in this one.
Prediction: Lions to win
The Stormers missed a late conversion at home to go down to the Bulls just a few weeks ago so will be keen to make up for that heartbreaking loss, but they’re going to have to be on top of their game for 80 minutes to beat the Bulls at Loftus.
The Bulls though have suffered lapses in concentration during their matches this season, so if the Stormers are on form and click they could cause an upset. They’re desperately in need of a win to get back into URC top eight contention.
Prediction: Bulls to win
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