Maritzburg to go all out for a victory as relegation looms
Defeat to Downs will condemn Maritzburg to NFD
Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids has indicated they intend to deploy an ultra-offensive approach when they take on champions Mamelodi Sundowns in their last league game at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tonight (7.30pm).
Irrespective of the result tonight, bottom-placed Maritzburg will only learn their fate on Saturday when the rest of the teams play their last games.
However, a defeat in the capital city will mean the Team of Choice go down automatically as Chippa United and Marumo Gallants, who are both level on points with them but boast a better goal difference, would then need at least a point apiece in their last games against Golden Arrows and Swallows to see who survives and who goes into the playoffs.
"It's a match where we have to be brave. It's not a game where we have to sit back, it's not a game where we have to play reactive football... we have to really be active and aggressive with the ball. We have to score goals; we know that at the moment it's only goals that win matches and we have to go for the three points. We still have hope and belief [that they'll survive],'' Davids said.
The reason Maritzburg face Sundowns tonight, instead of Saturday, the official final day of the DStv Premiership season, is that the Brazillians are hosting Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in the second leg of the CAF Champions League semifinals at home on the same Saturday.
Davids hasn't hidden that it's an uncomfortable situation that they play their last game on a different day than all the other teams, hoping Arrows and Swallows won't do Chippa and Marumo any favours on Saturday.
"It is difficult [to play their last game of the season on a different day] because normally on the last day you don't want to talk about fixing games and these things because it's not proper. We trust Golden Arrows to put out their best line-up. We trust Swallows to go for the win to get into the top eight,'' said Davids.
"Let's say for instance we lose and both teams just play for a draw, we don't expect that, but if you play at the same time these types of things can't even go through your mind."