Royal AM’s away form is the worry

TWO SOCCER 10 POOLS GET R250,000 BOOST FROM TAB

By Mark Gleeson

Royal AM have already debunked most of football’s conventional wisdoms as they fly high in second place in the DStv Premiership and chasing a spot in next season’s African Champions League.

The KwaZulu-Natal-based club bought their PSL status from Bloemfontein Celtic one week before the season kicked off last August and should, by rights, have struggled to find their feet, given the lack of proper pre-season training or preparation.

Yet with eight games remaining in the league campaign they sit second, 14 points behind runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and two ahead of third-placed Kaizer Chiefs.

Royal AM are also on a run of seven matches without defeat, into the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals and in a rich vein of form that suggests they could keep the momentum going until the end of the season.

Tomorrow’s match in Mbombela against second-from-bottom TS Galaxy is going to be a thorough test of their potential because John Maduka’s side have won only two of 11 games on the road this season. And they have not played with anything like the same conviction away from their base at the Chatsworth Stadium.

Galaxy are desperate for points as they look to move away from the relegation zone and this weekend all the clubs that are in similar dire straits will also be playing.

All five PSL matches tomorrow are included in the day’s first Soccer 10 pool, which starts with R250,000 added by TAB and should soar over R2 million by the time the first match gets under way.

TAB will also add R250,000 to the second Soccer 10 pool on Sunday, when bottom-placed Baroka FC will find themselves in deeper trouble if they lose, as expected, away at Cape Town City.

The hosts are looking for a third successive home win, although their last two triumphs over Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants were far from convincing. City have lacked consistency this season, but with Thabo Nodada looking back to top form, they could produce a sudden charge up the standings.

Coach Eric Tinkler has ambitions of finishing second and is well prepared, but has a problem with the depth of his squad after key players like Fagrie Lakay and Abbubakar Mobara were sold in January.

Reverting to tomorrow Chippa United might have home advantage against Kaizer Chiefs, but don’t look likely to win in Gqeberha.

Chiefs need to win against Chippa to stay strongly in the race for second place, especially as they still face the possibility of not getting any points from the COVIDgate saga last year. Last week’s ruling that the two games they missed in December be replayed is now to be challenged by way of a review.

The Maritzburg United-Swallows clash at the Harry Gwala Stadium is also vital for both sides with a draw the most likely outcome. Both have shown some form of late and look capable of avoiding relegation.