Maritzurg United coach Fadlu Davids says the lifeline given to them to fight to save their DStv Premiership status they will not take it for granted.
Maritzburg will start the promotion and relegation play-offs when they host Casric Stars at Harry Gwala Stadium today at 19:30, with the Mpumalanga club having lost to 1-0 Cape Town Spurs in the first game of the mini league on Sunday.
On Wednesday, the Team of Choice will enter the play-offs after finishing second from bottom in the DStv Premiership table, ending the season in a disadvantageous position having played their last game days before their relegation rivals.
They drew 1-1 with Mamelodi Sundowns, who had already won the league in April, where they came from behind after the Tshwane giants were in ascendancy.
With Swallows beating Marumo Gallants and Golden Arrows drawing 0-0 with Chippa United in the games that were played simultaneously, Maritzburg did not go down but were given a second chance to fight in the play-offs.
“Our expectations are quite clear and people already said we were relegated during the FIFA World Cup [when the club was at the bottom],” said Davids, who was in the stands when Casric lost to Spurs on Sunday.
“Fighting our way out of the bottom of the log, getting to the last day [and] the play-off spot on goal difference, that lifeline we are not going to take for granted.
“The same mentality that we had in the PSL in the last couple of games, we must show it too as we brand these games as cup finals.
“We have both analysed their games in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, but the mindset is to get the three points.”
Maritzburg are not new to this situation, having also saved their status via the same route in the 2018/19 season by winning all four matches in the play-offs under Eric Tinkler.
They became the first side to win all their play-off matches, with the likes of Siphesihle Ndlovu, Miguel Timm, Thabiso Kutumela, Rushine De Reuck, Bandile Shandu and Fortune Makaringe key in seeing the club survive.
Impressively then, they conceded just one goal, which came against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) in the last game that was just a dead rubber.
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Such a mentality will be required to survive again, and Davids highlighted that they also want add a few goals, because the goal difference might decide in the end.
“The first match gives us a reference, one win from Cape Town Spurs, top of the log,” said Davids.
“That is clear because we have to get the three points and secondly we don’t have the ascendancy of goal difference, it is zero as flat. But what is important is that we have to score as many goals as possible.”
