Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns could be set for a historic CAF Champions League journey with The Brazilians expected to join their domestic rivals in the quarterfinals of the premier club competition.
This weekend is the last matchday in the group stage with Pirates away at Al Ahly in a match pitting two clubs already through to the quarterfinals.
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The match at the Cairo International Stadium will determine who finishes first and second in Group C.
For Sundowns, they will need to avoid defeat at Loftus against already qualified FAR Rabat.
That way, they will not have to bother having to look over their shoulders in Group B, with Raja Casablanca hosting Maniema Union.
Once qualification is secured for the Chloorkop-based club, then they will be in the last eight for the sixth consecutive season, while Pirates are making their fifth ever appearance at this stage.
The quarterfinal hat already has Pirates, Pyramids, Esperance, Al Ahly, AS FAR, Al Hilal and besides Sundowns' group the other qualifier will be either MC Alger or Young Africans, who play in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
Since the introduction of the CAF 5-year ranking in 2004, which allowed for the top 12 ranked countries to enter their domestic league winners and runners-up, South Africa has only ever had two clubs past the group stage just once.
This happened during the 2020/21 season when Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs both came out alive in Group B and C, respectively.
The Brazilians came stuck in the quarterfinals against Al Ahly, who went on to meet Chiefs in the final.
For the quarterfinals draw, the four group winners will be seeded and pitted against the four runners-up.
There is the benefit of playing the second leg at home for all the group winners.
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If Pirates and Sundowns finish in different positions (first or second), then they could meet in the quarterfinals with teams from the same association able to be drawn against each other at this stage as was the case with Esperance and Etoile du Sahel in 2018.
If Pirates and Sundowns both proceed past the quarterfinals, then they could also meet in the semi-finals or ultimately the two-legged decider on May 24 and June 1.