Warning lights for struggling Magezi

With nine matches remaining before the activities for the National First Division League come to an end, Magezi’s future in the semi-professional division looks bleak.

The Polokwane side are rooted at the bottom of the 16-team log with 16 points, two behind the other relegation candidates, Santos. Magezi have managed to win only one of the 21 matches they have played to date.

Although they beefed up their ailing squad by securing the services of seven experienced players during the January transfer window period, nothing much has changed in the camp of Magezi. Some of the players they recruited during the transfer window period include the former Black Leopards striker, Thembisani Nevhulamba, and Gift Ramaxwailla. Ramaxwaila was playing for the ABC Motsepe League side, Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, before migrating to Magezi.

Their only victory this year was against Milano United, whom they beat 1-0 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium four weeks ago. Magezi scored 16 goals and conceded 32 to date.

The race for promotion is among nine teams: Thanda Royal Zulu, Black Leopards, Stellenbosch FC, Royal Eagles, Mthatha Bucks, Jomo Cosmos, Witbank Spurs, Amazulu and University of Pretoria. Royal Zulu are currently leading the pack and are almost sure of a place in the promotional play-offs. The Kwazulu Natal side are shining on top of the log with 44 points, eight ahead of Black Leopards.

Thanda have lost only one match this season. The only time they tasted the pain of losing a league match was when they lost 0-2 to University of Pretoria in Pretoria last month.

The other teams fighting for survival are: Milano United, FC Cape Town and Cape Town All Stars. Milano have 20 points, while FC Cape Town and Cape Town All Stars are tied with 24 points.

Date:30 March 2017

By: Frank Mavhungu

Frank is a Human Resources Manager at the Department of Public Works in Limpopo. He is the longest serving correspondent of the Mirror, having joined us at the end of 1990.  He mainly writes sports reports and resides at Tsianda Village. In 2004, Frank won the National Castle League Award, an award for the best reporter in the SAB league in South Africa.

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