The struggle for promotion and to escape the relegation axe at the end of the season will continue among the teams affiliated with the Motsepe Foundation Championship League this weekend. The much-awaited Limpopo derby between Black Leopards and Magesi FC will be played at the Malamulele Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Black Leopards must win the match at all costs if they are serious about gaining automatic promotion to the higher division or partaking in the promotional playoffs at the end of the season. Lidoda duvha were perched at the bottom of the log with three points before their midweek match against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC (TTM).
Magesi are still batting to come to terms with the 0-1 defeat they had suffered at the hands of Uthongathi FC at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban last Saturday. The defenders of Magesi, Tshepo Makgopa, Elias Ngwepe and Njabulo Buthelezi, will have to double their efforts to stop the Leopards strikers in Bethuel Muzeu, Matimu Tshabalala and Tiklas Thutlwa.
A combination of Donald Makgetlwa and the Malawian international, Rafick Namwera, is expected to keep the fire burning in the Leopards' midfield.
The new head coach of Black Leopards, Mr Rodwell Dhlakama, is likely to be on the team's technical bench for the first time on Sunday. The Zimbabwean international could not give instructions to the players from the technical bench in their game against TTM on Wednesday, pending the approval of his work permit.
Leopards' number one goalkeeper, Rotshidzwa Muleka, is also likely to be in the team's starting 11 on Sunday. Muleka had to watch the team's first six games from the grandstand because of an injury.
The other matches that will be played on Sunday are Cape Town Spurs vs MM Platinum and Casric Stars vs Uthongathi FC.