Cape Town - A glance at the PSL log is perhaps a reflection on the current state of football in South Africa.
Two Joburg clubs - Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates -are battling it out for the league title, while, at the other end of the standings, two Cape Town teams - Chippa United and Ajax Cape Town - are locked in a desperate fight against relegation.
Football in the Mother City has been on the slide for the past few seasons and the latest scenario clearly indicates the depth to which the sport has sunk in the Cape.
Not only that... last season Santos were relegated from the PSL and the season before it was Vasco da Gama.
If the Cape PSL sides are to rescue their season, and prevent another local team being relegated, they are going to have to start winning and picking up points - soon.
After a break for Nedbank Cup fixtures and a Bafana Bafana World Cup qualifying tie, the PSL swings back into action this weekend.
Ajax host AmaZulu at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday (kick-off 8pm), while Chippa United are on the road to take on Maritzburg United on Sunday (kick-off 3.30pm).
Ajax certainly have a heavy task ahead of them - and they can expect Friday’s opponents, AmaZulu, to make things even tougher.
The Durban club is also situated towards the basement of the standings and not yet out of the woods as far as relegation is concerned.
The critical nature of Ajax’s predicament was summed up by their Dutch coach Jan Versleijen, in an interview he did with a Dutch website: “I need to keep Ajax in the PSL. We’re now in the relegation zone, but Ajax need to remain in this division.
“It is important for this club, and for Ajax Amsterdam as well. You could say that it’s a matter of life and death.”
At the top of the table, things are just as tight.
Log leaders Chiefs take on an in-form Bloemfontein Celtic in the Free State capital on Sunday, and Pirates, who still have a game in hand on Amakhosi, host the University of Pretoria on Saturday.
Pirates have also been distracted by their African Champions League campaign, where they have got off to a great start. But Buccaneers coach Roger de Sa is still confident they can challenge on all fronts, especially now that he has defender Rooi Mahamutsa and striker Benni McCarthy back from injury and ready to fight for their places in the team.
Cape Argus