Real Kings to fight until the end

28 January 2020 - 10:59
By Sihle Ndebele
Patrick Meso of Moroka Swallows   in action with  Daniel Gozar of Free State Stars during their GladAfrica Championship match. / Veli Nhlapo
Patrick Meso of Moroka Swallows in action with Daniel Gozar of Free State Stars during their GladAfrica Championship match. / Veli Nhlapo

Real Kings coach Joel Masutha has predicted that the GladAfrica Championship title race will go down to the wire.

Masutha's Kings have been inconsistent this season, but the former Black Leopards mentor feels it's still too early to write them off. The Magic Boys are seventh on the table on 28 points - 10 at the rear of leaders Ajax Cape Town.

"I think we are still in the race as well. It's very tight and by the look of things the race will be decided in the last few games," said Masutha, who helped Lidoda Duvha get promotion in 2018.

"Yes, I promoted Leopards, but it's not about me, it's about the team. And sometimes you have to forget the past events and focus on what you're doing at the present time.

"The biggest role-players here are the players themselves, so I cannot be talking about individual experiences. We are working as a unit and everyone is giving his best."

All of Kings' five defeats this season came at home and Masutha admits their poor home run is a course for concern, demanding his charges to start winning in their backyard.

"Our home record isn't good; we've never lost a match away ... It's disappointing, things need to change," Masutha said.

"If you're challenging for the title, you can't be dropping points at home, no! We must do better, this is really unacceptable at all. We must chin up."

GladAfrica results

Eagles 1, Ajax 2; Cosmos 2, JDR 4; Galaxy 1, Mbombela 1; Richards Bay 1, Tshakhuma 0; Uthongathi 0, Kings 0; Swallows 1, FS Stars 1; Sporting 0, AmaTuks 0; Steenberg 0, Umoya 1.