Johannesburg - The final set of fixtures for the 2022/2023 season will take place over the weekend which will determine the futures of clubs for the immediate future.
Chippa United, Marumo Gallants, Richards Bay, and Maritzburg United are set to take centre stage and battle it out to avoid the dreaded drop to the second tier of South African football.
The Team of Choice have already played their last match and earned a point that took them out of the relegation zone for the moment. Chippa, now at the bottom, and Gallants in 15th spot will fight to avoid defeat at all costs.
The Chilli Boys will welcome Golden Arrows to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday while Gallants will travel to the Dobsonville Stadium to meet Swallows FC, both matches kicking off at 3 pm.
Chippa coach Lehlohonolo Seema has admitted that his side’s most realistic target is to avoid direct relegation as they try to salvage their top-flight status in the promotion-relegation play-offs.
“It doesn’t change anything (Maritzburg’s result against Mamelodi Sundowns), after our loss against TS Galaxy, we were sure of what is expected of us. At that moment we knew we were occupying the playoff spot and I quickly told the players the quicker we accept the situation, the better,” he said ahead of the game.
“So as we are, we know that we are in a playoff spot so nothing has changed and we’re gonna go and say we need to win our last game so that we can go to the playoffs, I don’t even want to say we’re gonna be safe, we are quite clear that we want to go to the playoff spot.”
If both Chippa and Bahlabane Ba Ntwa are to avoid last-day losses in their respective matches, those outcomes would see Maritzburg directly relegated to the Motsepe Foundation Championship and Chippa head to the playoffs.
If Chippa wins by a five-goal margin and both Gallants Richards Bay lose, Chippa would climb to 13th on the log and be safe from relegation alongside Richards Bay while Maritzburg gets relegated and Gallants go to the playoffs.
If both Gallants and Chippa (by a five-goal margin) win, and Richards Bay loses, The Natal Rich Boys drop down into a playoff spot and Maritzburg would be relegated while Gallants and Chippa remain in the DStv premiership.
If Gallants wins and Chippa draws, Maritzburg would be relegated while Chippa head to the playoffs.
If Chippa loses and Gallants draws, Chippa would be relegated while Maritzburg heads to the playoffs.
@ScribeSmiso
IOL Sport