The Citizen (Gauteng)

Leopards learn to be night owls

TRAINING: MASUTHA’S MEN WORK OUT UNDER LIGHTS

- Sibongisen­i Gumbi

De Sa and his Stars side have a mountain to climb.

Black Leopards trained at night this week as coach Joel Masutha wanted to get the players ready to play under the lights ahead of their promotion play-offs match where they meet Platinum Stars at Moruleng Stadium tonight.

The match is set for an 8.15pm start.

Lidoda Duvha can afford a draw against a desperate Dikwena side, but Masutha said they will be going for all three points which will almost guarantee them Absa Premiershi­p football next season.

Should they win, the three points will take Lidoda Duvha’s tally to seven with one more game to play. They will then need just a point in their last game to book their spot in the top flight.

For Dikwena, a draw or defeat could spell doom and gloom. Roger de Sa’s side are sitting on one point earned in a goalless draw against Jomo Cosmos on Wednesday going into tonight’s match. If they win, they could jump to first place in the three-team mini league.

De Sa said this week that they have targeted seven points which he believes will be enough for them to retain their Premiershi­p place.

“We always knew that we needed seven points in the playoffs. Seven points is usually the amount that takes you through. We’ve got a point now and we have two games to go. We have got to win both. There’s no other calculatio­n,” said De Sa.

Dikwena defender Ennocent Mkhabela rued missed chances against Ezenkosi as he felt they could have won the match to put themselves in a better position ahead of the Leopards match.

“It was a tough match. They also came here for a win. But we should have converted the few chances we had and made the situation a little easier for ourselves,” said Mkhabela.

“You can get one goal and it changes the whole situation. We have to continue fighting and push for a win (in the next match),” added the former Kaizer Chiefs player.

 ?? Picture: Backpagepi­x ?? ON DANGEROUS GROUND. It’s make-or-break for Roger de Sa’s Platinum Stars in the promotion play-offs tonight.
Picture: Backpagepi­x ON DANGEROUS GROUND. It’s make-or-break for Roger de Sa’s Platinum Stars in the promotion play-offs tonight.

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