Black Leopards will host Baroka FC in their promotional play-off match at the Thohoyandou Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.
Leopards did not have enough time to prepare for the match as they flew back from Cape Town yesterday (Thursday) morning. They played against Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Wednesday evening. The result of the match was not available at the time of our going to press.
Apart from the fact that they had to beat Stellenbosch and Baroka to gain promotion to the elite league, Leopards need at least five goals in the two matches to move to the top of the mini-league log. Baroka beat Leopards 2-1 in their first-round promotional play-off match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium last Wednesday.
It was the first victory for Baroka against Lidoda Duvha. Leopards' coach, Mr Jeff Losciuto, appealed to the supporters not to write the Thohoyandou side off, saying anything was still possible. He indicated that they were going to use Stellenbosch FC as their stepping stone, saying they would make sure they scored as many goals as possible against the Cape Town side to make their job easier against Baroka tomorrow.
He reiterated the fact, however, that they were not going to underestimate Stellenbosch because the latter was already out of the promotion race. Leopards will pin their hopes on Mwape Musonda, Ivan Mahangwahaya and Mziwokuthula Zimu for goals, while their defenders, Jean Munganga, Marks Munyai and Lebohang Mabotja, will ensure that their danger area is always clean.
On the other hand, Baroka's strikers, Olaleng Shaku, Ndivhuwo Ravhuhali and Letladi Madubanya, are sharpened to kill.