FOR Durban City the equation is simply, avoid defeat against AmaZulu FC and they secure their Top8 spot to cap an excellent season.
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Durban City’s remarkable season now hangs on one final afternoon in Durban. The newly-crowned Nedbank Cup champions head into their last Betway Premiership clash against AmaZulu knowing the equation is brutally simple — avoid defeat and they should secure a Top 8 finish, while a loss could leave the door wide open for Stellenbosch FC to snatch the final MTN8 position.
City currently occupy eighth place on 39 points, three ahead of Stellies, but with a superior goal difference also working in their favour.
A draw against AmaZulu would almost certainly be enough unless Gavin Hunt’s men produce a massive swing against Marumo Gallants. Yet Durban City arrive at this decisive fixture carrying alarming league form.
The club has failed to win any of their last eight league matches, a stretch that has transformed what once looked like a comfortable Top 8 finish into a nervy final-day shootout.
Dropped points against Orbit College, Golden Arrows, Stellenbosch and Siwelele have left the pressure mounting at exactly the wrong time.
Even more frustrating for City is that many of those performances were not disastrous — they simply lacked the cutting edge needed to close matches out.
But if there was one result that restored belief inside the camp, it was last weekend’s goalless draw away to Orlando Pirates.
Facing a side chasing the league title in front of a packed Orlando Stadium, Durban City showed the defensive discipline and nerve that has defined much of their campaign. Siphamandla Ncanana marshalled the backline superbly while goalkeeper Fredrick Asare produced another composed display under pressure.
That resilience could now become their biggest weapon against AmaZulu in a fiery KwaZulu-Natal derby expected to carry enormous intensity.
Victory would not only guarantee MTN8 football next season, but would also complete a dream campaign that already includes silverware and qualification for CAF competition through their Nedbank Cup triumph.
Meanwhile, Stellenbosch continue breathing down their necks. Hunt’s side revived their hopes with a 2-0 victory over Orbit College and will travel to Bloemfontein still believing a miracle is possible.
Hunt admitted Stellies “buggered it up a bit” over recent weeks after costly dropped points, but the veteran coach insists they will keep fighting until the final whistle of the season. For Durban City, however, the mission is clear. One last result separates them from turning an already memorable season into a historic one.
Failing to take points away from AmaZulu could mean a sloppy ending to a magical season for the boys in blue.
Jehran Naidoo is sports reporter for Independent Media and social media coordinator of the our YouTube channel The Clutch.