Cosmos join race for NFD honours

Highlands and Tuks also in battle for promotion

After 10 rounds of the National First Division (NFD), former Premiership clubs – Highlands Park, University of Pretoria and Jomo Cosmos appear to be the early promotion candidates.

What could spoil the auspicious start for these teams is inconsistency and determination by experienced clubs like Stellenbosch and Mbombela United.

It has been a bumpy ride for the league’s newcomers Ubuntu Cape Town who are yet to taste victory in the NFD and are rooted at the bottom of the log.

Meanwhile, fellow rookies Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila have taken the NFD by storm. The Venda side are unbeaten in their last five matches and are on 15 points, four behind leaders Highlands.

Unlike their three ex-top-flight counterparts, Black Leopards have endured a mediocre start to the season, earning a mere 10 points.

After finishing fifth last season, KZN side Royal Eagles have not shown any signs of being ambitious this term, winning only two of their games thus far.

However, Eagles’ midfielder Diego Brown maintains it is still early to write them off, believing that the current Fifa break gives them time to recuperate.

“It will be very dangerous to write us off. We know that we have not started well but there is still a long way to go.”

NFD RESULTS

AmaTuks 1, Uthongathi 0; Cosmos 2, Leopards 1; Spurs 1, Royal Eagles 1; Highlands 3, Stellenbosch 0; Tshakhuma 1, Ubuntu 0; CPT All Stars 0, Real Kings 1; Bucks 1, Super Eagles 1; Richards Bay 0, Mbombela 0.