GladAfrica Championship: Amatuks Are the Big Winners of Round as Richards Bay Blows Chance to Open Bigger Gap

• The University of Pretoria has thrown itself back into the increasingly tight GladAfrica Championship
• However, Richards Bay is still the team to beat and catch with the title charge reaching the final stretch
• Realistically, seven teams can still finish first in one of the most exciting league conclusions in the history of South African football

Pretoria University have put themselves right in the title race for the GladAfrica Championship after claiming the key result of a midweek round of matches on Tuesday, 15 and Wednesday, 16 March.

As reported by SuperSport, Richards Bay continue to lead the way, though their lead is down to just one point after they could only draw 1-1 away to bottom-of-the-log Black Leopards at Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday.

The Natal Rich Boyz led through Sibonginhlanhla Mthethwa, but conceded an injury-time equaliser at the end of the game to Lidoda Duvha’s Sibongiseni Mthethwa.

Two of Richards Bay’s main rivals, Polokwane City and JDR Stars, both suffered surprise defeats on Wednesday: the former went down 3-1 away to relegation battlers Jomo Cosmos (who are now one point away from safety), while the latter gave up a 2-0 lead at home to Cape Town Spurs in Soshanguve to succumb 3-2.

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The Urban Warriors scored their three goals in the space of seven second-half minutes, with Chumani Butsaka striking in the 62nd and 66th minutes, before Gregory Damons netted in the 69th minute to complete a brilliant comeback from the Cape side.

Tuesday’s action was headlined by a 3-1 home win for Pretoria University over Free State Stars at the Tuks Stadium, with Thabang Sibanyoni, Luvuyo Phewa and Wonderboy Makhubu striking for the Tshwane team, who find themselves in second place – just one point off top spot and a direct return to the DStv Premiership after relegation from the top flight six years ago.

Tuesday also featured a crushing 4-0 win for Hungry Lions over Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at the Sivos Training Centre, Pretoria Callies edged TS Sporting 1-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Cape Town All Stars’ promotion hopes suffered a blow with a 2-1 home loss at the hands of Platinum City Rovers, and the same could be said of Venda Football Academy for their goalless stalemate away to Uthongathi FC at Princess Magogo Stadium.

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The GAC will resume with a full round of fixtures across the coming weekend, 18 to 20 March, headlined by Limpopo derbies, as Polokwane City face Black Leopards and Tshakhuma host Venda FA.

GAC midweek results

Tuesday, 15 March

Cape Town All Stars 1-2 Platinum City Rovers

Pretoria University 3-1 Free State Stars

Hungry Lions 4-0 Tshakhuma TM

Uthongathi FC 0-0 Venda FA

Pretoria Callies 1-0 TS Sporting

Jomo Cosmos 3-1 Polokwane City

Black Leopards 1-1 Richards Bay

JDR Stars 2-3 Cape Town Spurs