Black Leopards are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations for their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match against JDR Stars at the Soshanguve Giant Stadium outside Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.

Black Leopards and JDR Stars are in the hot race for the league title. Lidoda duvha are in the fifth spot on the log standings with 11 points, three behind the pace setters, Milford FC, while the Stars are in the sixth spot with 10 points.

Black Leopards and JDR Stars had dropped vital points in their last games. Leopards were held to a 1-1 draw by Hungry Lions at the Thohoyandou Stadium, while JDR Stars had shared the spoils with Kruger United, with whom they had played to a goalless draw.

The head coach of Black Leopards, Maxwell Konadu, is optimistic that they will come back to Thohoyandou with three points. He said that they had played a number of friendly games over the past 10 days as part of their preparations for their match against Stars.

Black Leopards will pin their hopes on Mwape Musonda, Bethuel Muzeu and the team’s playmaker, Thabana Mabena, for goals, while Thendo Mukumela, Tshepo Matsimbi and Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali will be expected to keep the team’s danger area clean throughout the game. Although he is a defender, Matsimbi has managed to score in his team’s last two games.

Venda Football Club (VFC) will test their strength against Kruger United at the Thohoyandou Stadium. The other fixtures are Durban City vs Baroka FC, Hungry Lions vs Pretoria Callies, Orbit College vs Milford FC, Cape Town Spurs vs Upington City, Leruma United vs Casric Stars and University of Pretoria vs Highbury FC.