Five-way battle to secure two playoff spots in NFD

Magesi may have already clinched the Motsepe Foundation Championship title with two matches to spare and qualified for the DStv Premiership next season, but the teams to participate in the playoffs could be decided on the last day.

Second-placed University of Pretoria, Baroka, JDR Stars, Maritzburg United and Casric Stars all have a chance of playing in the playoffs.

Baroka and JDR head into their match at Global Stadium on Sunday tied on 45 points placed third and fourth, and the winner between the two will put themselves in a good position to finish either third or second - the two positions which guaranteed promotion playoffs.

Fifth-placed Maritzburg have an outside chance as they are three points behind Baroka and JDR. Should Baroka and JDR play to a draw and the Team of Choice beat Platinum Rovers at home, they will go into the final day a point behind them next week.

A victory for the University of Pretoria against Pretoria Callies at TUT Stadium will all but confirm their place in the playoffs.

But the match of the weekend is between Baroka and JDR, with both teams heading into the game with only a superior goal difference separating them in third and fourth place.

Looking at their recent form, Baroka appears to have an edge as they have won their last three fixtures compared to JDR, who won two and drew once. 

Baroka coach Dan Malesela insists they won't get carried away by their recent results.

"Winning brings confidence. We just have to be careful that we don't become complacent. We don't want to get too much ahead of ourselves because we have to respect our opponents," Malesela told Sowetan yesterday.

"We are all gunning for that [playoffs] and we just have to do our work and see how far it takes us. My biggest focus is on us. I like focusing on ourselves more than anything else.

"Not that we are ignoring the opponent, I believe if we do things right, we are bound to win. We are trying to rectify things we got wrong even in the matches we won."

Fixtures

All matches will start at 3pm.

Sunday: La Masia v Gallants, Dobsonville; Maritzburg v Rovers, Sugar Ray Xulu; Callies v University of PTA, TUT; Orbit v Upington, Olympia Park; Venda v Milford, Thohoyandou; Lions v Leopards, Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs; Casric v Magesi, Giyani; Baroka v JDR, Global.