Durban — The top eight situation has all but taken shape. It is only 9th place Golden Arrows who still have a chance of breaking into the top eight equation should they win their final league game of the season against AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban next Saturday.
With 33 points to their name, 10th place Marumo Gallants have no chance of breaking into the top eight as a win in their final game of the season against Sekhukhune United will leave them one point short of eighth place SuperSport United.
This essentially means that Gallants’ last league game of the season against Sekhukhune United next Saturday is a dead-rubber. Dan Malesela’s side can start focusing on their Nedbank Cup final clash with Sundowns later on this month.
SuperSport heaped the pressure on themselves by falling to an embarrassing 3-1 defeat against last place Baroka FC on Saturday, a game in which they gifted the opposition two goals via penalties. Andre Arendse’s side head into their final game of the season in poor form by their standards and have not won in any of their last four league games.
Resurgent Kaizer Chiefs’ 1-0 win over Sekhukhune United has given them a chance of potentially breaking into the top two on the last day of the season with a win against relegation-threatened Swallows FC at the FNB Stadium. Chiefs are level on points with third place Royal AM and three points behind second place Cape Town City.
Meanwhile, fifth place Stellenbosch FC also still have a chance to secure continental football should they win their final game of the season which is a Cape derby against Cape Town City.
Steve Barker’s side have been one of the surprise packages of the season apart from Royal AM and most recently inflicted Sundowns’ first home league defeat of the season by downing them 3-0 at the Tuks Stadium.
Barker, who has been in charge of the club since 2017 is now the longest serving coach in the South African top-flight. Stellies battled relegation for much of last season but are certainly reaping the rewards of sticking with Barker even when the going got tough.
IOL Sport