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Cape Town - SuperSport United will be aiming for a win over Free State Stars at the James Motlatsi Stadium on Wednesday night to keep their league title chase on track.
While Free State Stars did not have a fixture last weekend, SuperSport United were away in Madagascar where they played to a 0-0 draw against Elgeco Plus in a preliminary round CAF Confederation Cup game on Sunday.
Their absence from the domestic competition last weekend saw Matsatsantsa being leapfrogged at the top of the league standings by Cape Town City and Kaizer Chiefs.
But with both those teams not in action midweek, a victory away to Ea Lla Koto would take Matsatsantsa, who are unbeaten in their last 14 league matches, back to the top on goal difference.
Despite their incredible form, SuperSport coach Stuart Baxter has cautioned that there is still a long way to go.
"We're just about halfway through the season and that means very little. No one remembers the team that was leading at halfway when the season is done and you don't remember the sprinter who led at halfway in the 100m race‚ especially when you don't win," he said.
Third from bottom, Free State's priority is to string together some results and climb to a position of greater safety.
Serame Letsoaka's Ea Lla Koto side have secured some important victories in their last few outings. But inconsistency remains an issue, their last seven results reading: lost, won, lost, won, lost, won, lost.
Making the Bethlehem-based team's task harder on Wednesday evening is the fact that first-choice goalkeeper Thela Ngobeni and midfielder Angelo Kerspuy are suspended.
Thokozani Sekotlong and captain Paulus Masehe both missed Stars' last game, a 3-1 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs through injury, and there's been no indication they have recovered.
The Tshwane team have goalkeeper Ronwen Williams available again after he recovered from an injury which has kept him sidelined since November.
The corresponding first round game ended 0-0, while SuperSport have won 10 and Stars four of the 24 games the two clubs have played.
Kick off is at 19:30.
