Kaizer Chiefs will bring a mixed season to a close when they face Chippa United at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday in a fixture that could have seismic implications for the relegation scrap, but none at the top end of the South African Premiership table.
Chiefs have guaranteed third place and CAF Confederation Cup football. Heading into the last round of fixtures, they sit 12 points behind second-placed Orlando Pirates - who will win the title if they beat Orbit College - and 10 ahead of fourth-placed AmaZulu.
This is Amakhosi's best league finish since 2019-20, when they finished second - losing the league title to Mamelodi Sundowns on the final day of the season. However, their season has still fallen short of the ambitions they would have had after a superb start.
Chiefs looked set for a title push after a strong start to the season, but the first sign of trouble came in September, when they lost 3-1 to Sekhukhune United. Three days later, head coach Nasreddine Nabi was out of the club in an exit which remains shrouded in mystery amid conflicting narratives.
Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze were promoted from within, taking charge of the team for the remainder of the season. Chiefs were still very much in the title fight at the turn of the year, but fell out of contention after a run of poor results in February and early March - notably a 3-0 Soweto Derby defeat to Orlando Pirates on February 28.
Chiefs have rallied in the final stretch, picking up 1-1 draws against Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, but even in recent weeks, they have still struggled to maintain discipline while playing their often effective physical, aggressive style of football by South African standards.
The Glamour Boys may face lingering questions over their identity, but Chippa have a far more pressing issue to attend to: they are 13th out of 16 teams in the Premiership and safe from automatic relegation, but only one point above 15th.
If both 14th-placed Marumo Gallants and 15th-placed Orbit College overtake them, Chippa will be in the promotion-relegation playoffs along with Motsepe Foundation Championship sides Cape Town City and Milford FC.
While Orbit College face Orlando Pirates, Marumo Gallants will play Stellenbosch in their final match, but Chippa's fate remains in their own hands.
Key details
Date: Saturday, May 23 at 15:00 CAT (13:00 GMT)
Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
How to watch: The match is scheduled to air on SuperSport's DSTV channel 205
Team news
Chiefs have lost Makabi Glody Lilepo to suspension following his red card in the 1-0 win over AmaZulu in their last game. Flávio da Silva, too, is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Expected lineups
Kaizer Chiefs
GK Brandon Petersen
LB Bradley Cross | CB Aden McCarthy | CB Given Msimango | RB Thabiso Monyane
CM Lebo Maboe | CM Sibongiseni Mthethwa
LW Asanele Velebayi | AM Gastón Sirino | RW Mfundo Vilakazi
Chippa United
LB Bongani Sam | CB Seun Ndlovu | CB Abbubaker Mobara | RB Sirgio Kammies
CM Ayabulela Konqobe | CM Goodman Mosele | CM Sammy Seabi
LW Justice Figuareido | ST Sinoxolo Kwayiba | RW Azola Matrose
Stats
Only Stellenbosch (58) and Orbit College (54) have picked up more yellow cards this season than Kaizer Chiefs (52) in the Premiership.
Chippa United are one of only four clubs to have remained in the Premiership since 2014-15 without relegation or purchasing another club's Premier Soccer League (PSL) status. The others have been Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates and Saturday's opponents, Kaizer Chiefs.