With four matches remaining before the end of the current league programme in the Motsepe Foundation Championship League, the future of Black Leopards FC is still hanging by a thread. The former pride of the Vhembe District is fighting for survival in the second-last position on the log standings.
Although Lidoda duvha managed to win last Sunday's match against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC, played at the Thohoyandou Stadium, the team's future as an affiliate of the Motsepe Foundation Championship League looks bleak.
A quick look at the team's remaining fixtures shows that Black Leopards have a mountain to climb. They will play two matches away from home in a row before they come back home to wrap up their league programme.
Lidoda duvha's next fixture will be against Hungry Lions, whom they will meet at the Windhoek Draught Stadium in Kimberley next Saturday (22nd). Beating Hungry Lions will not be an easy task for Black Leopards. Apart from the fact that they will be playing in front of their home crowd, Hungry Lions still stand a chance to secure a place in the promotional playoffs. They are currently lying in the fourth position with 43 points, seven behind the pace setters, Polokwane City.
That will be followed by another trip to Potchefstroom, where they will lock horns with Platinum City Rovers at the Olën Park Stadium. The fact that City Rovers are also a relegation candidate is reason enough for Leopards to believe that this will be a tough challenge.
They will come back home to host Cape Town All Stars at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Sunday, 7 May. The Thohoyandou outfit will wrap up their league programme with a home match against Venda Football Academy.