Mamelodi Sundowns will be stuck on the heads of Al Ahly beyond their own fixture away at Coton Sport as they seek to remain alive in the CAF Champions League.
The Egyptians need nothing less than three points in Cameroon this evening against Group B's whipping boys but beyond that will still need Sundowns not to suffer defeat away at Al Hilal on Saturday otherwise they will be dead and buried.
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It is that complicated for Al Ahly who stayed behind in South Africa instead of heading back to Cairo after the 5-2 massacre by Sundowns.
The record Champions League winners only then flew out on Wednesday heading to Cameroon where they face Cotonsport this evening.
With three points in that game, they will go up to seven in the group and will hope The Brazilians don't lose at Al Hilal tomorrow to enable them to finish as runners-up in the group if they win in Cairo the Sudanese in the last group match.
Sundowns are already through to the quarterfinals and only need to determine whether they finish first or second in the group.
Defeat for The Brazilians tomorrow will knock Al Ahly out and hand the other qualification ticket in the group to Al Hilal but will mean Rulani Mokwena records his first defeat since taking over in October.
Sundowns are unbeaten in 19 games under Mokwena (17 wins and two draws), and this is the run giving Al Ahly hope.
A win for Sundowns will secure them top place in the group and be the best result that Al Ahly while a draw will also keep the Egyptians alive and in need of winning by two clear goals at home to go through if they also overcome Cotonsport this evening.
Al Hilal are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations.
"With great enthusiasm and focus, we get to work preparing for the decisive confrontation against Sundowns in the fifth round of the group stage of the African Champions competition," pointed out Al Hilal ahead of the clash with Sundowns.
The Brazilians are already in Sudan and likely to field their strongest team to keep their unbeaten run in motion.
What will be a plus for Sundowns is that the match against Al Hilal will be played behind closed doors with the hosts serving a CAF ban.
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