CASRIC STARS right winger, Lelethu Skelem, admits that dropping points in their last two games has put pressure on them to come back with good points in the next games they will play so that they do not get out of the competition for the league title.
Casric will face Kruger United in the Mpumalanga home match of the Motsepe Foundation Championship on Friday at 3.30 pm at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium, KwaMhlanga.
Coming into this match, Casric has dropped points in the last two games. After beating AmaZulu 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup, they were beaten 2-1 by the University of Pretoria and drew 1-1 with Lerumo Lions last week.
This dropped him to fifth place on the log with 35 points from 21 games. It is separated by five points from Kruger which is the top of the log with 40 points.
“We should regret ourselves for losing points in the two games we played against Tuks and Lerumo because this has put a lot of pressure on us that in the next games we will play we will definitely get points including the one we will play against Kruger
We know that the game we will play against Kruger will be a difficult game, especially since it is a home game. We are both teams in the league,” said Skelem.
“But it forces us to get the points back in this game because losing some points will put more pressure on us.
In the remaining nine games, a lot can still happen, so we have not given up hope of being in the league. The important thing now is to avoid dropping points, because that’s what can get us into trouble.”
The match between Casric and Kruger is similar to that of grudges since in the first round Kruger beat Casric 3-2.
Casric, who has played twice in the PSL Promotion Play Offs, is in the four teams that will play in the Nedbank semi-finals. It will play against Durban City, while Milford will play against TS Galaxy.
“Last season we played in the Play Offs, and this season we still have a chance to play them even though our main goal is to win the league. We also want to do well in the Nedbank Cup, so we can’t say that we’ve come this far, we reached the semi-finals, and then we’re complacent because we’re looking at the league,” said Skelem.
Motsepe Foundation Championship Games
Friday – 3.30pm:
Highbury v Black Leopards (Gelvandale Stadium); Casric Stars v Kruger United (Solomon Mahlangu Stadium)
Saturday – 3.30pm:
Venda FC v Cape Town City (Thohoyandou Stadium); Leicesterford City v Gomora United (Dobsonville Stadium); Milford FC v Baroka (Umhlathuze Sports Complex)
Sunday – 3.30pm:
Hungry Lions v Midlands Wanderers (Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs Stadium); The Bees v University Of Pretoria (KaNyamazane Stadium)