THE Premier Soccer League has changed the rules for promotion play-offs from the National First Division.
Three teams, instead of four, will now fight it out to reach the top flight of South African football. The PSL said clubs in the Premier League and the NFD had been aware of the rule amendments since these were approved on November 15.
The NFD was cut down to just one stream of 16 teams this season instead of two - the coastal and inland streams. This decision was also taken in November.
The three teams for the play-offs will consist of the team finishing 15th (out of 16) in the Premier League and the teams finishing second and third in the NFD. They will play each other twice (home and away) and the winners will earn promotion to the Premier League.
The first match of the play-offs will be on May 23 and the last game on June 23. The fixtures will be drawn up when the teams are confirmed.
Last season, the winners of the inland and coastal streams met in a final for one of the two Premier League places, with the losing finalist, along with the 15th-placed side in the Premier League, and the runners-up from the two streams involved in the play-offs. Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos were promoted, with Black Aces and Vasco da Gama relegated.
Meanwhile, with three NFD matches still to be played, log leaders University of Pretoria remain hot favourites to be promoted. AmaTuks have 52 points, six ahead of second-placed Blackburn Rovers. The Tshwane side need only three points to secure automatic promotion after several near misses.
Steve Barker's side will host the inconsistent FC Cape Town at LC de Villiers Stadium today at 3pm.
The battle for second and third place is expected to be tough and Rovers, Thanda Royal Zulu, Chippa United, Vasco da Gama, FC AK and African Warriors are in the race. At the bottom the writing is on the wall for Atlie FC, who are favourites to be relegated to the Vodacom League where they are likely to be joined by Mpumalanga Black Aces or Bay United.
The rest of today's fixtures:
Puma Rugby: Witbank Spurs vs Chippa United (3pm), Eldorado Park: FC AK vs African Warriors (3pm), Charles Mopeli: Carara Kicks vs Atlie FC (3pm), GWK: United FC vs Bay United (3pm), Buffalo City: Rovers vs Dynamos (7.30pm), Kanyamazane: Sivutsa Stars vs Thanda Royal Zulu (7.30pm). - additional reporting by Martin Ledwaba
Promotion play-off rules changed by PSL
THE Premier Soccer League has changed the rules for promotion play-offs from the National First Division.
Three teams, instead of four, will now fight it out to reach the top flight of South African football. The PSL said clubs in the Premier League and the NFD had been aware of the rule amendments since these were approved on November 15.
The NFD was cut down to just one stream of 16 teams this season instead of two - the coastal and inland streams. This decision was also taken in November.
The three teams for the play-offs will consist of the team finishing 15th (out of 16) in the Premier League and the teams finishing second and third in the NFD. They will play each other twice (home and away) and the winners will earn promotion to the Premier League.
The first match of the play-offs will be on May 23 and the last game on June 23. The fixtures will be drawn up when the teams are confirmed.
Last season, the winners of the inland and coastal streams met in a final for one of the two Premier League places, with the losing finalist, along with the 15th-placed side in the Premier League, and the runners-up from the two streams involved in the play-offs. Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos were promoted, with Black Aces and Vasco da Gama relegated.
Meanwhile, with three NFD matches still to be played, log leaders University of Pretoria remain hot favourites to be promoted. AmaTuks have 52 points, six ahead of second-placed Blackburn Rovers. The Tshwane side need only three points to secure automatic promotion after several near misses.
Steve Barker's side will host the inconsistent FC Cape Town at LC de Villiers Stadium today at 3pm.
The battle for second and third place is expected to be tough and Rovers, Thanda Royal Zulu, Chippa United, Vasco da Gama, FC AK and African Warriors are in the race. At the bottom the writing is on the wall for Atlie FC, who are favourites to be relegated to the Vodacom League where they are likely to be joined by Mpumalanga Black Aces or Bay United.
The rest of today's fixtures:
Puma Rugby: Witbank Spurs vs Chippa United (3pm), Eldorado Park: FC AK vs African Warriors (3pm), Charles Mopeli: Carara Kicks vs Atlie FC (3pm), GWK: United FC vs Bay United (3pm), Buffalo City: Rovers vs Dynamos (7.30pm), Kanyamazane: Sivutsa Stars vs Thanda Royal Zulu (7.30pm). - additional reporting by Martin Ledwaba
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