DStv Premiership: The race for second place

Stellenbosch FC and Orlando Pirates both produced scoring sprees on the weekend to keep up their battle for the runners-up berth in the DStv Premiership, opening up something of a gap between themselves and the rest of the chasing pack. 

Stellenbosch are now on 46 points, 10 behind runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who will play a catch-up game on Monday against TS Galaxy. Pirates are on 43 points after they beat Royal AM 4-0.

Fourth-placed Sekhukhune United did not play at the weekend, having lost to Sundowns in midweek and are now seven points adrift of second place, which offers a berth in next season’s Caf Champions League. We continue our weekly look at the teams currently placed sixth to second in the DStv Premiership.

CAPE TOWN CITY

Games played: 25

Points/Goal-Difference: 35 / +3

There was heightened frustration for coach Eric Tinkler as his side were held at home by Lamontville Golden Arrows on Sunday, letting slip a halftime lead and failing to take advantage of their dominance.

City have now gone 10 games without a win since the start of the year and slipped from as high as second place earlier in the season. Tinkler says he is still chasing a top-four finish, but City can now only amass a maximum of 50 points for the season and if they do not win on Wednesday against Orlando Pirates, they will drop out of the race for second place.

TS GALAXY

Games played: 23

Points/Goal-Difference: 37 / +9 

Galaxy got back to winning ways against Moroka Swallows on Friday in a match they were forced to move to Atteridgeville because the Mbombela Stadium was being used for a music awards ceremony.

With seven games to go, they might look handily placed, but Monday’s catch-up match against Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld is the start of a run of four successive away games. They have two games to play against Sundowns and one against Pirates in a tough fixture list.

SEKHUKHUNE UNITED
Games played: 25
Points/Goal-Difference: 39 / +7

Their 10-match unbeaten run in the league was ended by Sundowns on Tuesday, who scored early on in the match in Pretoria to snuff out the Limpopo team’s ambitions.

Sekhukhune do not play in this midweek but rather resume their programme at the weekend at home to TS Galaxy, which means they will have had almost a fortnight’s break since their last outing. Three of their remaining five games will be played away from home, which raises the possibility that they run out of steam in their bid for a top-two finish.

ORLANDO PIRATES
Games played: 25
Points/Goal-Difference: 43 / +16

Pirates got a controversial penalty to set them on their way, but they turned on the style in the second half to demolish Royal AM at the Harry Gwala Stadium. It was a fourth successive win for the Buccaneers, who have scored an average of four goals in each of those four games.

They now begin a trip down the coast, starting with Cape Town City on Wednesday in the league and then their Nedbank Cup semi-final against Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

STELLENBOSCH
Games played: 25
Points/Goal-Difference: 46 / +16

Stellenbosch produced yet another unforgettable performance on Saturday as Iqraam Rayners matched a 16-year-old record with five goals in a single game.

The 5-0 thumping of Polokwane City increased to 24 the number of unbeaten matches for Stellenbosch since their last loss in September and kept them ahead of Pirates in the standings. They have a home game against Lamontville Golden Arrows on Wednesday and another home league game to come against AmaZulu next week before going on the road again.