Mamelodi Sundowns could be dealing with two factors, one positive and another negative as the effects on the team following the injury suffered by Themba Zwane on national duty.
Although Zwane was managed by way of not starting all the games early on in the season by head coach Manqoba Mngqithi, his influence on the team has been undeniable.
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The 35-year-old's injury, ruling out for at least four months, could have forced Mngqithi to rush Thembinkosi Lorch back into the starting line-up, after he was initially eased back into the team off the bench, following a long injury lay-off.
Lorch made his first league start in the 2-1 win over Royal AM and looked subdued, compared to being lively coming off the bench, where he had an assist in a 5-0 victory over Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout.
The tactician, however, did not want to compare and contrast the two performances from the former Orlando Pirates star, in a space of four days.
"It's always going to be complicated because it also depends on the profile of the match, profile of the opponent, the area at which the opposition is defending," Mngqithi told reporters in the post-match press conference at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
"Because when they leave a lot of space behind, which is what we experienced against Arrows when Lorch came in... So, I wouldn't want to compare the two matches, because I do think there were some good football actions [from Lorch].
"But I also do believe there was an element of being casual sometimes, which was not only from him. The front three had a lot of tactical mistakes, generally, without excluding anyone out of the front three," he added.
However, on a positive note, Zwane's absence has opened room for Sphelele Mkhulise, rated highly by Mngqithi, to raise his hand after he scored the opening goal against Thwihli Thwahla.
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"Mkhulise is a top football player. He's one of those very talented players that is undermined sometimes. I was very impressed with how he performed in the initial stages of the game."
"But I still believe he's got a lot more to offer the club. He's got far more than what he has delivered, because he's got all the tools to play in our team. Technically, he's very strong, physically he's very strong, very intense, very intelligent, can play as an eight, ten, winger - he offers you a lot of possibilities," Mngqithi concluded.