After beating the ABC Motsepe League side, Blackcross FC, 2-1 in their Nedbank Cup KO Competition match that was played at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein last Saturday, Venda Football Academy (VFA) have a mountain to climb this weekend. They will play two tough league matches within the space of four days.
Their first assignment is to beat the stubborn Baroka FC, with whom they will lock horns in their Motsepe Foundation Championship League match at the Global Stadium in Lebowakgomo on Saturday afternoon.
VFA's bulldozer striker, Rhulani Manzini, managed to score a brace in their game against Blackcross FC. Whether Manzini will be able to continue from where he left off remains to be seen.
While the players of VFA seem to be in the right frame of mind after their Nedbank Cup victory, the opposite is the case in the camp of Baroka. Bakgakga, as they are widely known, are still in mourning from their 0-3 defeat at the hands of Cape Town Spurs in the same competition last Friday afternoon.
VFA are lying in the 13th position on the log standings with 18 points, while Baroka are perched in the 10th spot with 19 points. VFA bolstered their striking force by signing a Nigerian striker, Babatunde Adepoju, on Monday (13th). Should he be given a chance on Saturday, Adepoju is expected to form a good combination with Rhulani Manzini, Rudzani Thobo and Edmore Chirambadare at the front.
VFA will host MM Platinum FC at the Thohoyandou Stadium next Wednesday (22nd). VFA and Platinum are tied on 18 points each. Platinum are in the 12th position on the log standings by virtue of having scored more goals. VFA had lost only one match this year. Their only defeat was against Magesi FC, who beat them 1-0 at the Thohoyandou Stadium three weeks ago.