By Tladi Moloi
Kruger United FC matches on as Milford FC and Cape Town City FC dropped points in the crucial race to the Betway premiership automatic promotion.
With the National First Division (NFD), Motsepe Foundation Championship league heading to the end it now looks like it’s a two-horse race between United and Hungry Lions.
The village boys from Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga have called out City in a race after they narrowly beat them by 2-1 while Milford suffered a 1-0 defeat to Venda FC with Lions cruising nicely by beating Pretoria University by 3-1 in the league game played during the week.
A hard-earned victory means United continues to be at the top with only four games remaining. Before, Tuesday, games both Milford and City were five points behind the leaders but a gap has now been extended to eight and they might as well be settling for the play off spot, unless United drop points in the next games.
Hungry Lions keep chasing, as they are currently second with five points behind the log leader. United just need to win three of the remaining games to get an automatic promotion with just their second appearance in the NFD.
In its first season, they won the Mpumalanga stream in the 2023/24 Safa Second Division, qualifying for the playoffs. They reached the final and went on to lose 2-0 to Highbury but both teams were promoted to the NFD.
The club finished fifth in its first season in the NFD but experienced financial difficulties, with delays in paying player’s salaries.
United and Milford will visit the equally struggling Broka FC and Black Leopards at the weekend at the Baroka Village and Thohoyandou stadium respectively. Gomora United will welcome Hungry Lions at Malamulele stadium while City will fly to The Bees FC in a game to be played at the Kanyamaane stadium. Milford and City games are scheduled for Saturday while United and Gomora games will be on Sunday.
