With the season nearing its end, four PSL teams find themselves locked in a tense battle to escape the relegation playoffs and secure their top-flight status.
We head into the final matchday of the inaugural Betway Premiership campaign with Cape Town City sitting at the bottom of the table and looking likely to participate in their first relegation playoffs in the club’s nine-year history.
Three other teams could mathematically find themselves in the playoff spot and we take a look at the permutations for all the relegation playoff candidates ahead of their final encounters this season.
Magesi – 12th position
The PSL top-flight newcomers have struggled for consistency in the league this season despite their Carling Cup final heroics in the 2-1 victory against Betway Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns in November last year.
However, the Limpopo-based side changed head coaches following a run of bad results in the league, with Owen Da Gama managing to help move the team off the bottom of the table after securing seven wins in 21 fixtures since the cup triumph.
Six of Dikwena’s victories were at home, and that should be a good omen ahead of hosting top-eight chasing Marumo Gallants.
A draw or win against Gallants will secure Betway Premiership football for Magesi ahead of the final match of the season against league runners-up Orlando Pirates.
Golden Arrows – 13th position
Abafana Bes’thende have struggled for results despite the re-appointment of former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi and are currently on a five-match winless run in the league since the 2-1 win against Kaizer Chiefs in March.
Arrows have had a slightly better record away from home this season, with four of their seven victories coming on their travels, which will be concerning ahead of their clash against CAF Confederations Cup spot-chasing Sekhukhune United.
A victory against United will ensure Arrows’ status in the top-flight next season, with the PSL yet to decide on the suspended February fixture against fellow relegation playoffs contenders SuperSport United.
SuperSport United – 14th position
The Tshwane side find themselves in unfamiliar territory in the league but have shown signs of resurgence, picking up five important points out of a possible nine from their last three league matches.
Matsatsantsa will need four points from their remaining two matches against Orlando Pirates and Richards Bay to avoid the relegation playoffs, however, they will not need to win any match should Cape Town City fail to win their last match.
The Andre Arendse-led team also awaits the PSL’s decision regarding their suspended fixture against Arrows, which was embarrassingly halted due to load-shedding.
Cape Town City – 15th position
The Western Cape outfit finds themselves in the most unfavourable situation of hoping other fixtures involving the relegation/playoffs candidates go their way.
The Citizens have changed coaches twice this season, however, the club’s fortunes on the pitch failed to produce positive results. City had gone 13 league matches without a win prior to the 2-0 victory away to Polokwane City in their last clash.
City has also scored the fewest goals in the league (15) and has to win their final league fixture against Western Cape rivals Stellenbosch, if they want to have a chance of avoiding the playoffs.
Stellies will be favourites in this encounter, having gone unbeaten against City in their last eight league fixtures, and a victory for them will ensure CAF Confederation Cup qualification for next season.
All matches this Saturday are scheduled to kick-off at 15h00.