Marumo Gallants FC will be looking to move away from the relegation zone. Photo: Christiaan Kotze/BackpagePix
Cape Town – Resurgent Marumo Gallants are bent on maintaining their push up the DStv Premiership standings on Tuesday evening when they host SuperSport United in Polokwane, at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
SuperSport, on the other hand, are locked in a three-way battle with Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs to secure a top-two finish to qualify for the CAF Champions League next season. SuperSport have a chance to reclaim second place from Pirates, who are above them on goal difference with five matches remaining in the campaign, while Chiefs are just two points further adrift in fourth position.
Since the start of April when Dylan Kerr was named coach, Gallants started the move off the bottom of the log with wins over Royal AM and Chippa United as well as a draw against Chiefs.
This hot streak of form lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time in months. However, Gallants' assistant coach Raymond Mdaka insists the threat of relegation still looms large. He said the squad's biggest challenge was keeping the players fresh during a busy period in a bid to juggle CAF Confederation Cup duties as well.
"We are not safe yet because there is a team that will go for play-offs (the team that ends in 15th place). We would like to see ourselves out of this situation altogether," said Mdaka.
"It is not that difficult. It will depend on whether we are collecting points or not because once we get another three points, you will see how far we go, if that happens we will say, let's keep the same character and the same spirit. We can even go beyond eighth place or so.
"Another challenge that we have is maintaining the recoveries and managing the players because we are playing back-to-back."
SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt has bemoaned a lack of defensive options because injuries and suspensions have left him short of options.
Despite campaigning with one of the smallest Premiership squads his club is still in the running for a top-two finish.
"Our squad is so small, we don't have many options," said Hunt. "We've got four strikers and no defenders so we've got to get this balance right and that takes time and transfer windows.
"Any coach needs transfer windows so we can try to mould the squad and we're struggling at centre-back. One goes, the next one goes and then you're mixing and matching every week."
All eyes will be on Bradley Grobler, the 35-year-old striker who is now just one goal behind Sundowns hitman Peter Shalulile in the scoring charts. He aims to win the Golden Boot for a second time after lifting the trophy in the 2020/21 season.
SuperSport will be keeping an eye on Ranga Chivaviro, the 30-year-old Gallants striker. Last week he reached a new milestone in his career after scoring his first DStv hat-trick in his side's 3-1 win over Chippa.
Chivaviro has now bagged five goals in his last three games and is just one shy of reaching double figures for the season.
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