The Free State winner of the ABC Motsepe League, Dikwena United, eyes promotion to the country’s second highest professional rank, the National First Division (NFD).
The club is one of nine, each from a different province, to compete for two available slots at this year’s national promotion play-offs, scheduled to be played from 13 to 19 June at the North-West University campus in Potchefstroom.
The clubs have been divided into three groups. The draw for the round robin competition was conducted by Safa on Monday (06/06).
Dikwena disposed of Bloemfontein Celtic by 2 – 1 to qualify for the play-offs.
It is the club’s first attempt to gain promotion to the professional league, Dikwena is hoping to end the misfortune that saw the now defunct Mangaung Unite fail to gain promotion on four occasions.
Following the failed bid, the directors of Mangaung decided to sell the franchise, thus ending its existence last year.
Founded in Qwaqwa, Dikwena is based in Sasolburg.
The club is hoping to win all matches to realise the dream of being promoted to the second highest league, next to the South African Premier Division (PSL).
In the opening fixture of the play-offs on Tuesday (14/06), Dikwena will face MM Platinum from Gauteng, while the second game will be played against Zizwe United from the Western Cape on Wednesday (15/06).
The overall winner at the play-offs is guaranteed R1 million, and the runner-up will take home R600 000.
Dikwena’s promotion would see the club joining seasoned campaigners Free State Stars in the professional league. That would increase the number of clubs from the province playing in this league to two.
Super Eagles from Bethlehem was the last team to achieve promotion to the NFD via the play-offs, during the 2016-’17 season. However, the club was unable to sustain its professional status, as it was relegated at the end of the 2017-’18 season.
