The much-anticipated play-off matches in the ABC Motsepe League will start on 5 June. The tournament to decide who will go through, will be held at Durban's Woodburn Stadium. Teams who were on top of their respective streams when the league programme came to a halt in May this year are gearing up for the annual event.
The nine teams that had secured places in the tournament have been divided into three groups. Mpheni Home Defenders will be representing the Limpopo Province in the playoffs. In their first match, Home Defenders will face Mlambo Royal Cubs from Mpumalanga. The match is scheduled for 8 June and will start at 15:30. The next day, the team will come up against Orbit College.
The top teams from the three groups, together with the best runners-up, will meet in the semi-final stage on 9 June. The final will be played at the same venue on Sunday, 11 June. The best two teams in the tournament will be promoted to the Motsepe Foundation Championship Division.
Home Defenders' coach, Mr Sidwell "Vhasadie" Phuravhathu, said that he was optimistic that the team would win next week's matches and qualify for the semi-finals. He said that the players needed to focus on their mindsets.
"Football is about energy. You have to read the players' energy. If they are getting too cocky, then bring them down to earth. If they are getting too anxious, then calm them down," he explained. Phuravhathu appealed to the local football lovers to rally behind the team during the matches. He said that his team had never stopped training after playing their last league match early last month.