This Sunday marks the end of the Motsepe Foundation Championship League season, and Black Leopards face a must-win situation when they take on University of Pretoria FC (Amatuks) at Thohoyandou Stadium.
A win alone, however, will not be enough for Lidoda Duvha to secure a place in the promotional playoffs. If they manage to beat Amatuks, they will also need Casric Stars to drop points when they host Hungry Lions at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in Siyabuswa.
Black Leopards currently sit fourth on the log with 44 points – one behind Casric Stars. The league champions earn automatic promotion to the Betway Premiership, while the second- and third-placed teams qualify for the promotional playoffs. The top team in the playoffs will be promoted to the elite league.
Leopards head coach Joel Masutha expressed optimism ahead of Sunday's clash, saying all his players were fit and ready, both physically and mentally. "Beating Amatuks on Sunday will be an easy task to them," he said.
Masutha added that the only thing potentially standing in their way was the outcome of the Casric Stars vs Hungry Lions match – something beyond their control. Still, he remains hopeful. "What keeps my hopes high is the fact that Hungry Lions is one of the teams fighting for survival, and there is no way Casric Stars can expect any favours from the Northern Cape side."
The Leopards' strike force, made up of Kamogelo Ngwane, Mwape Musonda and Bethuel Muzeu, has the potential to unsettle the Amatuks defence. Amatuks, currently 10th on the table, have little at stake in this final round. They were beaten 0-2 by Upington City at the Absa Tuks Stadium in Pretoria last Sunday.