WeeklySA_AdminMediocre: Both teams need a victory whiich makes for an exciting football showdown
By Masoja Cele
Struggling Cape Town Spurs will host the rejuvenated Black Leopards in the Motsepe Foundation Championship at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town. This much awaited encounter will be played on Sunday at 15:00.
With a string of mediocre performances in the past weeks, it will be interesting to see how the Cape side will fare against the resurgent Leopards. Spurs are hoping to arrest a run of four matches without a win. Considering their last two matches one could envisage a gruelling outing between the two sides.
Last Sunday, the Urban Warriors displayed a poor performance and lost 1-0 at newbies Kruger United out in Mbombela. The last time Spurs clocked a victory match was back in September against Hungry Lions at home. These results has got the Western Cape outfit head coach Ernst Middendorp hot under the collar. The German tactician has cried foul about the standard officiating in the championship. The former Kaizer Chiefs mentor has call on SAFA and PSL to investigate the officiating in the MFC.
Despite losing their most two valuable players in Ashley Cupido and Rushwin Dortley to Stellenbosch FC and Chiefs respectively, they still boast a decent team that can beat any opposition in the championship. Star midfielder Asanele Velebayi who is on Amakhosi wanted list is the vital cog of the Cape Town side.
Then there is the exciting Therlo Moosa who can play as a striker or an attacking midfielder and the most experience midfield workhorse Michael Morton. To add to the puzzle is the exciting youthful player Azola Jakalashe. The sensational teenage covers the length of the field like he has an extra lung. His tactical ability and positioning is amazing. Sooner or later top teams will be grappling for his signature.
In contrast Leopards seem to have redeem themselves from the unsavoury mismanagement shenanigans that halted the progress of the team in the past. This season Lidoda Dhuvha have made a spectacular start in the championship. They are comfortable placed fourth on the table just three points behind the leaders Milford FC. A rare feat for the former Premiership side. Last Saturday the Limpopo side proved their worth in the championship when they trounced pace setters Durban City 2-1 (formerly Maritzburg United). The results that changed the complexion of log after Milford punished Leruma United 3-0 and claimed the log summit.
Former Leopards midfielder Peter Mponda is the driving force behind the team pleasant start. It is crystal clear that coach Mponda is privy to the club’s culture will work as charm and business environment. The coach spend more than a decade plying his trade at the team. Perhaps his philosophy and technical input will help Leopards to poach the opposition successfully and feast on them.
Coach Mponda and his technical team will pin their trust on old campaigner Mwape Musonda. The Zambian international was the Lidoda Duhva leading goal scorer with 14 goals during the 201/18 season to help the team secure promotion to the elite league.
Again, Musonda scooped the Golden Boot during the 2018/19 Absa (Betway) Premiership with 16 goals.
