Maccabi up against it at Tshakhuma

This is no easy game for either side. Maccabi will be highly motivated after their win and this should make for a thrilling match at Thohoyandou Stadium.

Here are the previews of this weekend’s National First Division (NFD) matches:

Saturday

Ajax CT v Royal Eagles, at Athlone Stadium, 3.30pm
It will be a new start for the urban Warriors who will play their first match since the departure of coach Muhsin Ertugral who resigned after their last game. The team have yet to appoint a new coach and it will be interesting to see how they fare against Eagles who are also finding their feet under new coach Zlatko Krmpotic who joined the side after Roger Sikhakhane’s passing a few weeks ago.

Tshakhuma v Maccabi, at Thohoyandou Stadium, 3.30pm
Having surprisingly lost their last game against lowly Ubuntu Cape Town, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila will want to make amends especially at home and get back to winning ways. But it will not be easy against Maccabi who have proved to be quite a hard nut to crack in their maiden season in the NFD.

AmaTuks v TS Sporting, at Tuks Stadium, 3.30pm
With coach Benson Mhlongo having walked out of Abantu Bemthetho in protest after he was forced to work with new technical director Sammy Troughton, it will be interesting to see how the team respond to recent developments. They face an AmaTuks side who are also desperate for points to keep up with the title chasing pack.

Uthongathi v Stellenbosch, at King Zwelithini Stadium, 3.30pm
Things have not been going well for the Cane Cutters and there are already rumours that the coach has been set a target which if he fails to reach might face the chop. This is a difficult game for them against the log leaders who have opened up a four points gap and will not want to give their chasers a chance to close in.

Mbombela United v TS Galaxy, at Kanyamazane Stadium, 3.30pm
Both play some attractive football but the results have somehow not been reflective of this and this will surely be a fast game. They both need to improve up front but it is a little better for Tingwenyama as their main striker Muzi Zimu has found his scoring touch.

Cape Umoya v Ubuntu CT, at Boland Stadium, 3.30pm
This is a battle of strugglers and early relegation candidates. Ubuntu will have some confidence after registering their first win and against top opposition in Tshakhuma. The Spirited One have lost all their last five matches at this venue.

Sunday

Richards Bay v Witbank Spurs, at Umhlathuze Sports Complex, 3.30pm
Siyavutha have a tendency of being hot today, and cold the next game and this makes it hard to predict which team will come out against the Natal Rich Boys. They are both desperate for a win having had a difficult run in the past few weeks.

Jomo Cosmos v Real Kings, at Vosloorus Stadium, 3.30pm
Sicelo Mkhize will come up against his former team Ezenkosi for the first time since leaving them in June. The skilful midfielder could prove a handful for Ezenkosi. But Ezenkosi have also found their rhythm and with Charlton Mashumba scoring like it is going out of fashion this will be a good game.

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