If you want to be the champion you must first beat the champion, so the saying goes. This is the kind of situation Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) will find themselves in on Sunday afternoon.
TTM, or Vhadau Vha Damani as they are affectionately called, will travel to Nelspruit on Sunday where they will meet Mbombela United in their NFD League match at the Kanyamazane Stadium.
A win for TTM will enhance their chances of taking part in the promotional play-offs at the end of the season. Vhadau are in the seventh spot on the log with 32 points. The same applies to Mbombela United, who are in the fourth position with 36 points.
Sunday's match will be the second for Mr Momcilo Medic, the new TTM head coach, to give the players instructions from the team's technical bench. His debut match with Tshakhuma was when they beat the University of Pretoria 1-0 at the Thohoyandou Stadium last Saturday. TTM will be without their Zimbabwean centre back, Carlington Nyadombo, on Sunday. He was given his marching orders in their game against the University of Pretoria.
Patrick Meso, Lebohang Mabotja and Happy Mashau will be expected to keep the danger area clean in the absence of Nyadombo.
The rest of the NFD fixtures are Uthongathi FC vs Richards Bay FC, Witbank Spurs vs TS Galaxy, Maccabi FC vs University of Pretoria, Real Kings vs Stellenbosch FC, Jomo Cosmos vs Royal Eagles and Ajax Cape Town vs TS Sporting.