The new season of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) kicks off in two weeks, and in the first local clash in the Motsepe Foundation Championship League, Venda Football Club (VFC) will host Milford FC at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday, 24 August.

VFC collected four points from Milford last season. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in their first-round league match at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban. Milford were beaten 0-1 in their second-round league match at the Thohoyandou Stadium.

Although VFC had not made an announcement regarding their new recruits at the time of our going to press, this publication can safely reveal that two of the players who were part of last season’s squad, Banele Gama and Thabiso Nkoana, will not be parading in the team’s colours when the new season starts. Gama is said to have joined the newly promoted Betway Premiership side, Magesi FC, while Nkoana is now an employee of the Motsepe Foundation Championship League side, Highbury FC.

As part of their preparations for the new season, VFC hosted Highbury FC in a rehearsal game at the Malamulele Stadium last Friday. VFC were beaten 0-1.

The other Vhembe-based team competing in the Motsepe Foundation League, Black Leopards, will play against Highbury FC at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in one of the two matches that will be played on Friday, 23 August.

Not only did Black Leopards try to solidify their squad by acquiring the services of a number of vastly experienced players during the offseason, but they also beefed up the team’s technical staff by appointing the Ghanaian national, Mr Maxwell Konadu, to the position of head coach. Konadu will be assisted by Mr Solly Luvhengo, who was in charge of the team for the better part of last season.

The Zambian sharpshooter, Mwape Musonda, is one of the players who will be parading in Lidoda Duvha’s outfit when the new season starts.