JOHANNESBURG – Ubuntu Cape Town have it all to do in their final fixture of the NFD season on Sunday afternoon. The rookie Cape club are currently second-last on the NFD standings and face relegation to the regional Second Division if things don’t go their way.
Ubuntu host Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at Parow Park on Sunday afternoon (3pm kickoff), where they not only have to win, they also have to hope that results involving teams around them on the NFD table go their way.
As it stands at the bottom, Mthatha Bucks, on 21 points, are already relegated, followed by Ubuntu on 29 points, Super Eagles 31, Richards Bay 31 and Uthongathi FC 31. Anything can still happen.
“It’s a massive game for us on Sunday,” said Ubuntu coach Casey Prince. “We’ve got to get a win and hope for something in the other games. It’s not the situation we want to be in, but it is what it is, and we have to take care of our part.
“With us being new to the NFD, we had a slow start, but we had a much better second half of the season. We’ve learnt a lot along the way and I’m sure that, as a staff, we will be better next season.”
While Prince acknowledged that the club would be devastated if they were to be relegated, he stressed that it wouldn’t make a difference to the overall vision of Ubuntu.
“The academy and the school remain on track,” he said.
Casey Prince: The academy and school remain on track. Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
“And if we should go down to the Second Division, there will still be an outlet for our players. It will obviously be tough in the Second Division, as the Western Cape region is the strongest in the country.”
The champions of the NFD are Highlands Park and they will be presented with the trophy at Athlone Stadium on Sunday after their fixture against Stellenbosch FC (3pm kickoff).
For the other Mother City NFD side, Cape Town All Stars, who are away to Real Kings, it will be the last time they represent the Cape. The club have been sold and next season they will campaign out of Gauteng as Swallows FC.
Sunday’s NFD fixtures:
Super Eagles v Mthatha Bucks
Uthongathi FC v Pretoria University
Real Kings v Cape Town All Stars
Mbombela United v Richards Bay
Stellenbosch FC v Highlands Park (Athlone Stadium, 3pm)
Ubuntu Cape Town v Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (3pm)
Royal Eagles v Witbank Spurs
Black Leopards v Jomo Cosmos