The goalless draw between Cosmos and Amazulu on Wednesday afternoon saw Jomo Sono’s dream of clinching the league title evaporate ? and bedtime brought the Amazulu players nightmares as they became the second team after Classic to be relegated from the premiership.
By 6pm, before they departed for their match against Bush Bucks, Santos chief executive Afzal Khan and coach Gordon Igesund were congratulating their players on becoming the league champions.
Khan said: ”We advised the players to go out and show the country that they are the true champions and they should play like champions against Bucks.”
The match did not go quite according to the script, but Santos showed determination in coming back from a 4-0 deficit to lose 3-4.
Bucks were happy to rain on the champions’ parade ? their victory ensured they stay another season in the elite league.
Bush Bucks assistant coach Nigel Dixon said: ”The whole week at training the mood at camp was of confidence although we were wary of the position we found ourselves in.”
Amazulu’s departure from the Premier Soccer League could make way for another KwaZulu-Natal team, African Wanderers, who lead the first division coastal stream with 45 points from 21 games with five more to play. Avendale Athletico are second with 39 points from the same number of games.
In the inland stream Dynamos look set to be the winners as they have opened a four-point gap on Silver Stars with five games remaining.
In both the inland and coastal streams, the chase for a berth in the elite league could go down to the wire ? as anything can happen in football, as Santos have discovered.
Santos are the first Cape Town team to win the premiership title and the victory gives the people of the Mother City something to celebrate on Freedom Day.
Khan said: ”Igesund and I are now waiting for a call from Bafana Bafana.”