The Mangaung Unite football club is poised to clinch the B stream of the ABC Motsepe League in the Free State and automatically qualify for the play-off to decide this year’s provincial championship match against the winner of the A stream. The race to win the A stream is between Bloemfontein Celtic and D’ General FC.
Excluding league matches this forthcoming Friday, 16 February, and Saturday, clubs are left with four games to complete the current season of 2023-’24.
The last matches will be played on 16 March.
Bloemfontein-based Unite is the only undefeated club in the provincial ABC Motsepe League competition.
The club is facing a stiff challenge from the Botshabelo-based Mathaithai FC, currently in second position with 24 points. Unite is topping the log with 27 points after 11 matches played thus far.
The teams face off on 2 March in what could be a decider in the B stream. The intriguing fixture will be played in Bloemfontein, with Unite having the edge thanks to playing on their home turf.
In the previous league outing, in December, the two clubs shared the spoils after they played to a two-all draw in Botshabelo. Even in the 2022-’23 season they settled for a point each in a league fixture that ended in a final score of 2 – 2.
However, Unite has the added advantage of 27 superior goals over Mathaithai, who have thus far scored 20 goals after the same number of matches played.
The other tough match Unite is gearing up for is against its local rivals the Spartans on 9 March. FC Spartans is the dark horse in the contest to win the B stream.
In the upcoming league fixtures on Saturday, 17 February, Unite will clash against last year’s Free State champion, Buffalo FC, while Mathaithai will take on the African Warriors in Qwaqwa.
The A stream will see two favourites, Celtic and D’ General, tussle in an equally crucial match in Bloemfontein on Sunday at 15:00.
A single point separates the two clubs.
However, D’ General has a goal tally of 29 against the mere 19 goals of Celtic. Victory will propel the Botshabelo-based outfit to the helm of the log.
