THE TEAM that will represent KwaZulu-Natal in the National Play-Offs in the Safa ABC Motsepe League, Mkhambathi FC, has the challenge of increasing the number of teams in the province in the Motsepe Foundation Championship next season.
Tomorrow starts the national qualifiers for the two teams that will be promoted to the paid stage of the Motsepe Championship, at Mthatha Stadium, Mthatha, Eastern Cape.
Mkhambathi, who is ranked in Group C with Mpheni Defenders from Limpopo and NC Professionals from Northern Cape, will open against Mpheni on Wednesday at 3.30 pm.
The games will be concluded on Sunday, the finals will be played by the teams that will have already received the right to play in the Motsepe Championship next season.
Umkhambathi is coming to these matches, he had a two-week dispute with Singa United over an issue involving a player who was not registered properly, however this team eventually came out on top and was found innocent.
KwaZulu-Natal is not the only province that was plagued by litigation, as it was not the same in the provinces of Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
In Gauteng, the battle was between Free Agents and La Masia, and in the end, La Masia came out ahead, which will represent Gauteng in these games, while in Mpumalanga, the case went in favor of Luthuli Brigades as it was against Phezulu FC.
And in Free State, the tables turned as Mangaung United, which was already known to be the one coming to these games to represent Free State as the provincial champions, found themselves deprived of points by playing a player who was not registered correctly.
Sasolburg United, which sued Mangaung for the player, is the one that will represent the Free State in these games.
KwaZulu-Natal currently has two teams in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, namely Milford FC and Midlands Wanderers.
Since Milford is playing the PSL Promotion Play-Offs, it has the chance to be promoted to the Betway Premiership, which will reduce the number of teams in this province in the Motsepe Championship.
So this team from Mkhambathini under the Mgungundlovu region, has the challenge of following in the footsteps of their family, the Midlands, who were successful in the qualifiers held in Gauteng, last season.
Safa ABC Motsepe League National Play-Offs:
Kusasa – Ngo-9am:
NC Professionals v Mpheni Defenders
At 12.3pm:
Sea Point Swifts v FC Ravens
Ngo-3.30pm:
North West University v Luthuli Brigades
Wednesday – 9am:
FC Ravens v Sasolburg United
Ngo-12.30pm:
Luthuli Brigades v La Masia
Ngo-3.30pm:
Mpheni Defenders v Mkhambathi FC
Thursday – 9am:
La Masia v North West University
Ngo-12.30pm:
Mkhambathi FC v NC Professionals
Ngo-3.30pm:
Sasolburg United v Sea Point Swifts