THE HEAT IS ON IN TITLE RACE
PREMIERSHIP: TONIGHT’S TWO MATCHES COULD SHAPE THE DESTINY OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP
It has been a bit of a fairy tale for Tinkler’s Cape Town City.
There are likely to be many twists and turns before this Absa Premiership title race is over, but it could be that this evening provides a key moment in the intriguing story of battle for supremacy in South African football.
Four of the league’s top five teams face off in a couple of thrilling midweek fixtures, with a chance to gain some momentum heading into the 2016/17 campaign’s busy final five-and-a-half weeks.
Surprise leaders Cape Town City welcome third-placed Bidvest Wits to the Mother City, with just a point separating City from the Clever Boys.
Eric Tinkler’s side have maintained their championship challenge pretty much from the off this season, and it would be extraordinary if they could lift the title in their first season since John Comitis bought the MP Black Aces franchise.
Tinkler has certainly given his former employers Orlando Pirates plenty of reason to regret letting him go at the end of last season, masterminding a side full of attacking intent, with Lebogang Manyama and Aubrey Ngoma contenders for Footballer-of-the-Season.
Wits will go top themselves this evening with a win, and have two games in hand on City.
Gavin Hunt has probably the best squad in the country at his disposal, with the exception of reigning champions Sundowns, though he has also had his share of injury problems to deal with in recent weeks.
Wits and Sundowns, with nine games left, are probably still the two favourites for the title –
Masandawana face fifth-placed SuperSport United this evening at Lucas Moripe Stadium in the Tshwane derby. Matsatsantsa will be out to restore some pride as well as reignite their title ambitions, after the 5-0 hammering they took from Sundowns only last week. Pitso Mosimane’s side are starting to rediscover their stride after a rare blip in form.