Leopards must clear the Ajax hurdle

One of the teams that will be campaigning in the Premiership Division next season is likely to be known at the end of the relegation/promotion game between Black Leopards and Ajax Cape at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg this afternoon (Friday).

Leopards and Ajax are tied on six points each, with Ajax leading the pack after crushing Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) 5-1 on Tuesday.

Should Leopards manage to collect the maximum points today, Ajax’s campaign to become part of the  premier league will be over. Today’s fixture is the last one for Ajax, while the Thohoyandou side have a match in hand. Lidoda duvha’s final fixture will be against TTM, with whom they will rub shoulders at the FNB Stadium next Monday, 21 September.

Should Leopards and Ajax share the spoils in Friday’s match, one point in their clash against TTM will be enough for Leopards to retain their Premiership franchise. A win in today’s game will not be enough for Ajax to celebrate. They will have to wait for the result of the match between Leopards and TTM on Monday.

Black Leopards’ caretaker coach, Mr Morgan Shivambu, revealed that their aim is to win today’s match and make Monday’s fixture a formality.

Ajax’s head coach, Mr Calvin Marlin, said everyone in their camp was aware that a draw against Leopards would do them more harm than good. “We are not going to settle for anything less than a win,” said Mr Marlin.

Leopards’ forward, Lifa Hlongwane, is likely to be part of today’s starting 11. Hlongwane missed the team’s last three matches because of injury. Should he be given a chance today, Hlongwane will be expected to form a good combination with Xolani Ndlovu, Mwape Musonda and the Lesotho international, Tumelo Khutjang, as the striking force. Whether the Leopards’ defenders, Isaac Masia, Khuliso Mudau and Pentjie Zulu will have the strength to stop the strikers of Ajax, Eleazar Rodgers, Mohau Mokate and Gerald Takwara, is something that remains to be seen.

Sport - Date: 18 September 2020

Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

Email: