Uthongathi FC did not go back to Durban after their midweek Motsepe Foundation Championship League game against Venda Football Academy (VFA). Instead, they remained in Thohoyandou to prepare for their next league match against Black Leopards, with whom they will lock horns at the Malamulele Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
(The result of Wednesday's match against VFA was not available at the time of our going to press.)
Black Leopards must win Friday's match at all costs in order to move out of the relegation zone and to revive their hopes for promotion. Lidoda duvha are currently fighting for survival.
The head coach of Leopards, Mr Johnny Ferreira, is adamant that his team will soon be counted among the teams closely contesting for the league title. He said that the players were fast adapting to his coaching philosophy after he had taken over as the head coach of the team towards the end of last year.
The strikers of Uthongathi will not find breaking through Leopards' defence, which is marshalled by Kenneth Nthatheni, Sanele Zulu and Andiswa Ndawonde, easy.
Asked why their new signee, Siphelele Ntshangase, was still to kick the ball in an official game, Mr Ferreira said that the 29-year-old striker was still battling to gain match fitness. The former Kaizer Chiefs' player had been out of action for a long time and it would take him some weeks to regain his fitness, said Ferreira. The likes of Douglas Mapfumo, Matimu Tshabalala and their Namibian striker, Bethuel Muzeu, will be expected to do the job in the absence of Ntshangase.
Although their match will be at home, beating Uthongathi will not be a walk in the park for Lidoda duvha. Uthongathi are one of the teams in the hot race for the league championship. They have deposited 18 points into their league account to date, nine behind the pace setters, Polokwane City.