All to play for as play-offs reach tense finale

MATSHELANE MAMABOLO

NEVER have the PSL promotion play-offs been on as sharp a knife-edge as they currently are heading into the final match of the three-team mini-league competition.

While Richards Bay host Baroka FC at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium tomorrow needing just a draw to retain their DStv Premiership status, there is a strong possibility of the contest ending all square.

The three teams could all finish up on five points if Baroka go against the grain and become the first team to win on the road. There is also a chance of the teams ending on the same goal difference (zero) and goals scored (three) should Baroka win 2-1.

That outcome will result in yet another round of play-offs, which will see the University of Pretoria and Baroka squaring off at a neutral venue and the winners taking on Richards Bay in a ‘final’ at a neutral venue as well.

They will thus be keen to get a result that will favour them, and having already completed their matches, AmaTuks will be crossing fingers for a 1-0 victory for Bakgaga ba gaMphahlele which will see them winning via more goals scored.

It is for that reason that Baroka need to win 2-0 against the Natal Rich Boyz to be the ones who return to the elite league. That scoreline – though it will not change the points tally – will see the Limpopo team from Lebowakgomo have a better goal difference of +1, which will be better than Richards Bay’s -1 and Tuks’ zero.

A 3-2 victory for Baroka will also set the cat among the pigeons as it will leave both them and Richards Bay tied on everything, ahead of Tuks. The two teams would then have to engage in a play-off against each other.

It will all be moot, though, should Richards Bay get something out of tomorrow’s match.

While Morgan Mammila will tell you that he will coach Baroka to a 2-0 victory that will see the team promoted, the results of the play-offs so far suggest otherwise, with no team having scored more than one goal, and there is yet to be an away team victory.

This beautiful game of billions has, however, produced stranger results in the past and tomorrow could well not be different.