Cape Town City are facing a real crossroads in their season, and their struggles over the past two months have been hard to ignore.
On Wednesday, at home at Athlone Stadium, the Citizens have an opportunity to turn things around when they host TS Galaxy at 7.30pm. But despite the comfort of their home crowd, the pressure is mounting on Ertugral and the team to deliver a performance that breaks this winless streak.
With seven games without a win, interim coach Muhsin Ertugral knows that something has to change and more especially because six of those last seven matches have ended in defeat.
Their latest setback came in the form of a defeat to AmaZulu at King Zwelithini Stadium, which only added to a miserable run that has left the club languishing in 10th place on the Betway Premiership table.
🚨OFFICIAL: Cape Town City coach Mushin Ertugral has been named Betway Premiership coach of the month for January.
He won three out of four matches, including back-to-back wins over Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.#BetwayPrem 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/nWh3f3wEXO
The Citizens' form has been a story of inconsistency, and their away record has been particularly damning, with just one victory in 11 matches on the road. Their inability to turn up when away from home has been a key factor in their downfall.
“It’s frustrating, because when we play against the big teams, we’re dangerous," said Ertugral, after the AmaZulu defeat.
"We should have won the game against Pirates last week. But it’s the games against the ‘equal’ teams that we need to win. We need momentum.”
Ertugral, who took over in January, was quick to highlight the underlying issues that have contributed to the club’s downturn in form. A clear problem has been City’s inability to secure points away from home, with a woeful record of one win, nine losses, and one draw on the road this season.
“Most people have forgotten that in 2024, this team only had seven victories," Ertugral continued.
"That means there is a problem with away games. I’ve come in, and I’m working very hard, but that away form is still an issue.
"There’s also a psychological aspect to it, but we also have certain demands on us. At home, our performance has been good, but we need to fix the away form.”
🪄 Bringing a magical touch to the midfield#iamCityFC pic.twitter.com/rY2cG5tpzA
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) March 4, 2025
The experienced coach will have a welcome boost as new signings and former Footballer of the Year Thulani Serero becomes available alongside Haashim Domingo who will return from injury.
The looming pressure comes at a time when the club is also preparing for a transition. Ertugral confirmed earlier this week that the club has already found a new head coach ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The Turkish tactician will move into a technical director role, but for now, his focus remains on guiding the team through a turbulent period.
City need to make a statement against TS Galaxy. The pressure is mounting, but tomorrow night presents an opportunity to snap the streak, regain confidence, and try to salvage what’s left of their season.