Spurs, Bay in a must-win relegation fight
Urban Warriors need max points
With eight points separating Cape Town Spurs and Richards Bay in the relegation zone, the match at Athlone Stadium tonight (7.30pm) is a six-pointer the Urban Warriors have to win to keep their hopes of avoiding automatic relegation alive.
Spurs face automatic relegation as we near the business end of the season and need to start picking up points now.
They have not won since March 3 beating TS Galaxy 20 at home, with two draws and four successive defeats in their last six matches.
The match against the Natal Rich Boyz is a do-or-die as another defeat will see them behind with 11 points between them and direct rivals with five games to go after this. It won’t get any easier with tough matches to come against Polokwane City, SuperSport United, Golden Arrows, Kaizer Chiefs and Royal AM.
Bay though, will come into this game with their confidence high after two successive victories against Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs, which saw them move clear ahead of the Urban Warriors.
A win tonight will see them take a big step away from automatic relegation, while also putting pressure on 14thplace Swallows, who have 26 points.
With momentum on their side, Bay should be confident of getting all maximum points in Cape Town and putting Spurs in more trouble.
What will be frustrating for
Spurs coach Ernst Middendorp is that his side has not scored in their last four matches, with the last time they found the back of the net being on March 9 drawing 1-1 with neighbours Stellenbosch. Middendorp will hope his striker Ashley Cupido will end his drought and start scoring again to help the team win this match.
Spurs will be without Aidan Moroole, while Bay won’t have Langelihle Mhlongo, – both serving a one-match ban after four yellow cards in previous fixtures. In the reverse fixture, Bay edged Spurs 1-0 at home.
Fixtures
Today: Galaxy v Swallows, Mbombela (7.30pm); Spurs v Bay, Athlone (7.30pm) Saturday: AmaZulu v Chippa, Moses Mabhida (3pm); Chiefs v SuperSport, Peter Mokaba (5.30pm); Stellenbosch v Polokwane, Danie Craven (8pm) Sunday: Royal v Pirates, Harry Gwala (3pm); CPT City v Arrows, Cape Town (5.30pm)
CAF Champions League semifinal second leg
Today: Sundowns v Esperance, Loftus Versfeld (8pm)