Cape Town All Stars can stop Highlands’ unbeaten run

HIGHLANDS PARK, who were relegated from the PSL last season, will end the year as the top team in the National First Division at the halfway mark, regardless if they win or lose today.

The “Lions of the North” have gone 10 games unbeaten. and opened up a four-pointT lead over Jomo Cosmos.

They close out the year welcoming Cape Town All Stars to the Makhulong Stadium.

Park have picked up nine wins, two draws and three losses from their 14 outings for a points tally of 29.

All Stars have five wins, three draws and six defeats that sees them down in tenth place from the same number of games. Whether they can return from Johannesburg with a point or more remains to be seen, based on inconsistent form over the past couple of months.

Jomo Cosmos entertain Eastern Cape raiders Mthatha Buck at the Vosloorus Stadium tomorrow.

Cosmos, another former PSL team, who have yo-yo-ed in and out of the top flight four times in the past decade, have yet to suffer a home defeat in the competition but lost in midweek to Ubuntu Cape Town FC in a Nedbank Cup qualifier.

But expect them to return to win- ning ways against a Bucks unit on the slide down the table to 13th after five defeats in their last six outings.

The University of Pretoria hold down third place on 25 points, the same as Cosmos, but below them on goal difference. The former PSL club has a 50 percent win record heading into their clash with Real Kings, who occupy sixth on the 16-team log.

Kings, of KwaZulu- Natal, are tough to beat, having lost just three times from 14 starts.

Mbombela United are at home to newcomers Uthongathi FC at the Kanyamazane Stadium and will be out to improve on their fourth position – both sides played to draws last time out.

Fifth- placed Stellenbosch tackle eighth-placed Witbank Spurs on their home field at the Pumas Rugby Stadium. A tough one to call as both sides have lost just two games, the fewest in the division. Ubuntu will be chuffed to be off the bottom of the log for the first time in six weeks thanks to the point picked up at home to Uthongath, one that moved them above Richards Bay to 15th but still in the drop zone.

They face a tough test away to Royal Eagles, who handed Park a 3-0 beating in the Nedbank Cup.

Eagles were beaten at Cosmos 2-1 the week before.