With the race for promotion continuing to intensify in the Motsepe Foundation Championship (MFC), Kruger United and Milford will be gunning for three points when they meet in the top-of-the-table clash at KaNyamazane Stadium tomorrow at 3.30pm.
Both teams are level on 37 points, with a goal difference only separating them from first and second place. Milford leads the race with a superior goal difference (+8) and Kruger are second (+7) heading into this weekend’s fixtures.
They will come into this fixture at the back of draws in their previous respective matches, with Kruger playing to a 1-1 stalemate against Leicesterford City and Milford were held to a 2-2 draw by in-form Cape Town City.
They will be eager to return to winning ways to keep their chances of winning the promotion alive.
With Milford in the Nedbank Cup semifinal, where they will face TS Galaxy, coach Xanti Pupuma said the league matches are still a priority and will have to find a balance, not being affected by their excellent cup competition run.
“I think the challenge I always get with that question or statement is, how then do you tell players not to commit, not to give their all in any game and say let’s show up today, we don’t have to win this [Nedbank Cup],” Pupuma said.
“We need to win the league and so on, then they are not going to take me seriously for the next game. Unfortunately, every game is important. We play to win every match and what happens afterwards, we will address it.
“Somehow, I will find a way to deal with it. We have a big squad and we’ve been rotating in the league and cup games as well. The cup competition gives us an opportunity to give other players a chance and the approach is not going to change because we are in the semifinal.
“We still treat the league games as a priority and give enough for the cup game to try and win it.”
Elsewhere, Casric will be desperate to bounce back to winning ways following their midweek 2-1 defeat to the University of Pretoria.
Casric, who are also in the Nedbank Cup semifinal, are now three points behind Milford and Kruger.
Fixtures (all matches will start at 3.30pm)
Today: Highbury v CPT City, Gelvandale
Tomorrow: Upington v Bees, Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs; Kruger v Milford, KaNyamazane; Baroka v Hungry Lions, Mafori Mphahlele; Gomora v Wanderers, Malamulele; Lerumo v Casric, Dobsonville.
Sunday: PTA University v Venda, Tuks; Leopards v Leicesterford, Thohoyandou.
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