The football season is fast drawing to a close, and so are Ubuntu Cape Town’s chances of avoiding relegation from the National First Division.
Two of the Mother City’s other clubs, Stellenbosch FC and Cape Town All Stars, sit in mid-table and have nothing more than pride to play for in the two games remaining.
Ubuntu’s players will know their soccer futures hang in the balance and that alone should spur them.
They get another chance to move away from the relegation zone today when they play fellow-strugglers Richards Bay.
Mthatha Bucks, who prop up the log, will be relegated, but who will join them is far from settled.
Bay occupy the drop spot as things stand but the KwaZulu-Natal side is only a point behind Ubuntu (29 points), while Super Eagles (31), Uthongathi FC (31), Royal Eagles (32) and possibly Mbombela United (33) are not out of the woods.
So the battle to remain in the NFD will go to the wire.
Ubuntu and Bay, who both spent many months in the danger zone, suffered defeats last time out, so the pressure is on them going into the penultimate round.
“The boys know what’s at stake,” said Ubuntu coach Casey Prince. “If we play to our full potential, the three points will be ours.
“Obviously the pressure is on for both camps, neither wants to end up on the losing end.
“There will be chances created, we must make the most of ours.”
Seventh-placed Stellenbosch are away to ninth-placed Pretoria University and will be chasing a second win on the bounce, having last weekend dented Witbank Spurs’ hopes of qualifying for the promotional play-offs with a 3-2 home win.
Eighth-placed All Stars entertain 11th-placed Eagles at Parow Park.
Stars will want to close out their rather disappointing campaign on a high, while Eagles will want the points to ease their plight.
All eight NFD fixtures take place today, as will be the case next Sunday for the final round.