With three fixtures left to wrap up the GladAfrica Championship, Sihle Ndebele analyses and predicts the potential eventualities.

Automatic promotion

Practically, automatic promotion is a two-horse race between leaders Ajax Cape Town and second-placed Moroka Swallows. Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) are outsiders, with 44 points, seven points behind Ajax, meaning one win by the Urban Warriors will all but end TTM’s chances of automatic promotion.

Swallows are on 48 points. If they win their game against Steenberg United at Makhulong Stadium tomorrow and Ajax lose to Pretoria University Dube Birds will be neck and neck with Ajax on 51 points, heading into the penultimate fixture, where they take on Richards Bay on Wednesday, while Ajax play JDR on the same day.

Prediction: Ajax will clinch it.

Play-offs spots

With Ajax likely to hold on to their top spot, Swallows are odds on to finish second and contest the play-offs against third-placed GladAfrica side, alongside a team that finishes 15th in the Premiership.

Losing to Free State Stars midweek may not have seen Tshakhuma drop from the third spot, but it gave leverage to fourth-placed Uthongathi, with that said, the third spot is up for grabs. Interestingly, TTM and Uthongathi, separated by a point, face off in the penultimate round on Wednesday.

Tomorrow Tshakhuma trade blows with TS Sporting, while the Cane Cutters play the already demoted Royal Eagles on Sunday. Fifth-placed Real Kings, on 40 points, have an outside chances to finish third should TTM and Uthongathi drop the ball.

Prediction: Swallows and Uthongathi to finish second and third respectively.

Relegation battle

Eagles are already relegated. Their 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Jomo Cosmos on Wednesday proved the final nail in the coffin. The KZN side are on 19 points and even winning their remaining games won’t suffice as 15th-paced Ezenkosi have 26 points.

Cosmos could be next. Mbombela United and Sporting could be in trouble as well. The Mpumalanga clubs are level on 28 points in the 13th and 14th spots respectively.

Prediction: Mbombela will follow Eagles.

Fixtures (all at 3.30pm)

Tomorrow: Cosmos v FS Stars, Wits Rugby Stadium (1pm); Umoya v JDR, Tuks Stadium (3pm); Kings v Mbombela, Tsakane Stadium (3pm); Ajax v Tuks, Rand Stadium (3pm). Sunday: Uthongathi v Eagles, Randburg Rugby Stadium (1pm); Swallows v Steenberg, Makhulong Stadium (3pm); TTM v Sporting, Sturrock Park (3pm); Richards Bay v Galaxy, Tuks Stadium (3pm)