Johannesburg – With two games left in the season, the fight to stay in the Premiership for the three bottom teams will be the focus ahead of the next eight league fixtures.
Current favourites for the drop are AmaZulu at the foot of the standings with 24 points, and three behind 15th placed Moroka Swallows, and five behind Chippa United on 29 points.
The team who finishes last (16th) at the end of the season is automatically relegated with the National First Division (NFD) champions (Golden Arrows) promoted.
The two teams who finish 14th and 15th in the Premiership will then have to battle it out with the NFD’s second and third placed teams to decide which two teams will play in the top-tier South African league next season.
On Wednesday, AmaZulu travel to 11th-placed University of Pretoria at Tuks stadium in desperate search of a win.
AmaZulu coach Steve Barker said it was now up to his team to win at all costs.
“Yes of course there is still hope. There are still six points to play for. The onus is on us to win our next two games, we don’t have a choice,” said Barker.
AmaZulu went down 3-1 at home to SuperSport United at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, after Swallows had beaten Maritzburg United 1-0 at Dobsonville Stadium on Friday to jump out of last place.
Barker said it would be a scrap among the bottom teams to avoid finishing in the unenviable bottom spot.
“We have to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat and make sure that Wednesday away from home we lift ourselves. So all we can do is fight for the six points remaining and if we get those six points we’ll see what happens.”
Swallows themselves will have a difficult assignment as they travel to the Mother City to take on Ajax Cape Town at Athlone Stadium.
Chippa, meanwhile, will also be away, as they come up against Black Aces at Mbombela Stadium. – ANA