Farook Kadodia Chairman Farook Kadodia’s Durban City will return to action on Friday as they welcome the visit of Upington City to the Chatsworth Stadium. Photo: Independent Media
Image: Independent Media
Primed to roar back with force, Durban City has made the biggest impression amongst all the NFD Motsepe Foundation Championship sides as they currently sit at the summit of the log.
The Durban-based outfit have a six-point gap over Kruger United, with eight matches still left to play this season.
There is one point in it between second-placed United and fifth-placed Casric Stars, and as the season nears the end, any of the five teams still have a shout at making promotion to the top flight next season.
Here, Obakeng Meletse looks at the top five contenders for the league title...
City with all the advantage
Formerly known as Maritzburg United, Durban City could be in line for a return to the PSL if they can safely navigate the remaining eight matches.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit has led the way for a large part of the season and having also fallen agonisingly close to a spot in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals after losing to Marumo Gallants (0-0 normal time, 4-1 penalties), they have shown enough signs that they are ready for top-flight football.
Concern for Simo Dlala and his chargers will be the dropped points in the last two matches, and they will have a chance to correct that when they meet Upington City at the Chatsworth Stadium on Friday (3.30pm kick-off).
Peaking at the right time
Kruger United have hit form at a crucial time in the season, and they are quickly making up for lost time as they are only six points short of the league leaders.
United could be in line to secure their fifth consecutive win as they will next face relegation-threatened Cape Town Spurs at the Athlone Stadium (3.30pm kick-off).
The Mpumalanga-based outfit secured a 1-0 win the last time the two sides met, and a win on Saturday will keep their title hopes alive.
Missed opportunities
Orbit College have only managed to score 24 goals from their 22 matches, and that is an average close to one goal per match.
With competition for places getting tight at the top of the log, they might live to regret their failure to be more clinical in the attacking half
Five of their last six matches have ended in draws, and wins from those matches could have potentially seen them much closer to first position.
They next face Highbury FC at the Olympia Park Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off), and a win there will be compulsory, as anything more than the six-point gap they currently have could be tricky to manage.
Still in it with a shout
JDR Stars are the third team on 36 points after 22 matches played, and just like Orbit College, they have dropped crucial points at the worst time in the season with only one win from their last five fixtures.
Of all the top five sides, they have the worst goal difference record (one).
And with a tightly contested race for the top two positions, they will hope top goal-scorer Prince Nxumalo adds on to his seven goals so far this season when they meet sixth-placed Milford FC at the Soshanguve Giant Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off).
Casric Stars must capitalise on momentum
The Mpumalanga-based outfit has found a good run with wins against Milford (2-0) and Pretoria Callies (3-0). Stars is currently seven points off the lead after 22 matches played.
As they prepare to take on bottom-of-the-log Lerumo United at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off), it will be important for them to keep up with the front runners, with the second spot also carrying a lot of weight as the relegation play-off path to the PSL.
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