Leopards, Cosmos claim wins to remain at the top

Round 28 of the 2017/18 National First Division saw Black Leopards and Jomo Cosmos claim emphatic wins to remain in charge of the race for the promotion playoff berths, while Mthatha Bucks’ relegation to the third tier was confirmed.

The action got underway on Friday with Cape Town All Stars ending the eight-game winning streak of champions Highlands Park by holding them to a 1-1 draw at Parow Park.

Saturday saw no less than six matches across the country, though the most important took place at the Mthatha Stadium, where the hosts were beaten 3-0 by Jomo Cosmos and officially condemned to last place on the log and a drop to the ABC Motsepe League for 2018/19. The result also ensured Cosmos remain in the playoff zone along with Black Leopards, who thrashed Richards Bay 4-0.

Witbank Spurs’ hopes of challenging Ezenkosi and Lidoda Duvha for a place in the playoff suffered a major blow when they were beaten 3-2 away to Stellenbosch in the only game on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Ubuntu Cape Town dropped to just above the relegation zone after they were beaten 1-0 at home by Royal Eagles, while Super Eagles and Uthongathi took steps to move away from trouble with a goalless draw at home to Tshakhuma and a 1-0 home win over Mbombela United respectively.

The penultimate round of the NFD season sees eight matches played simultaneously next Sunday, April 29.

NFD weekend results

Friday 20 April

Cape Town All Stars 1-1 Highlands Park

Saturday 21 April

Ubuntu Cape Town 0-1 Royal Eagles

Mthatha Bucks 0-3 Jomo Cosmos

Super Eagles 0-0 Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila

Real Kings 1-1 Pretoria University

Uthongathi 1-0 Mbombela United

Black Leopards 4-0 Richards Bay Sunday 22 April Stellenbosch FC 3-2 Witbank Spurs