Clubs in the Motsepe Foundation Championship resume action on Wednesday after a weeklong break as the battle for the top spot and the promotional battle continue.
The league title remains open after pacesetters Durban City FC dropped the ball in what looked like they would win the title and get an automatic promotion to the elite league.
The KwaZulu-Natal side (with 46 points after 25 matches played) dropped some valuable points, bagging home only four points out of the possible nine after they lost one match, won one, and drew another.
City want to avoid promotional play-offs
To realise their dream, City, who lost 1-0 away to Highbury FC in their last outing, need to collect at least 10 points from their remaining five matches to guarantee themselves automatic promotion.
City will be looking forward to redeeming themselves when they welcome Milford FC at the Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday, and their coach, Simo Dladla, is quoted as saying: “The chairman has put a mandate, and it is clear we want the number one spot and nothing else.
“Finishing the league in the second or third position comes with a lot of pressure through the promotional play-offs; hence, we need to avoid that at all costs.”
Dladla, who works with former Jomo Cosmos and Moroka Swallows’ MacBeth Sibaya in the technical team, guided the Farook Kadodia-owned side to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup, where they were eliminated by Marumo Gallants with a 4-1 drubbing in the penalty shootouts.
Potential league decider
Challenging City in the battle for the league title and automatic promotion to the Premier Soccer League are Kruger United (second position with 41 points from 26 games), Casric Stars, and Orbit College FC, who are lying third and fourth with 40 points each.
Kruger United, who are still licking their wounds after they suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Black Leopards, will be looking forward to regrouping when they face Orbit College away.
The match on Sunday is expected to produce fireworks, as it is one of the deciders of league direction.
On the other hand, Casric will also be going all out to protect their title chase when they take on the lukewarm Pretoria University away at the Tuks Stadium in Pretoria.
AmaTuks have become the shadow of their former selves, as the Pretoria-based side are operating from the 11th spot with 31 points after 25 matches.
The rest of the Motsepe Foundation Championship games scheduled for Tuesday are Cape Spurs v. Pretoria Callies (Athlone Stadium, Cape Town), Baroka FC v. Upington City (Baroka Village, Lebowakgomo), and Leruma United v. Venda Academy (Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville).
