Maritzburg United coach Fadlu Davids, despite his side in a dire straits situation based on points and goal difference being so low, has retained the faith that his side will get the job done and survive.
Maritzburg are at the bottom of the table with 26 points after 28 matches, three points behind 15th-placed Chippa United and 14th-placed Marumo Gallants, respectively, but also with a worse goal difference than both.
They need at least four points from their next two matches, starting with Stellenbosch at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday (15:00) and Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday, to have a realistic chance at survival.
“We still have a chance,” said Davids.
“At the moment we are focusing on the opportunity that we do have to get out of the situation.
“It has been a long and hard season, lots of lessons learnt and now to be able to take all those lessons, all of those hard moments, the difficult moments, those moments of conceding goals in the last minute by throwing away points, to be able to correct in this game.
“We have this game to be able to do it, change the mindset and that is what we are focused on – three points at stake, 90 minutes, and this 90 minutes is in our hands to be able to get the three points and that is our focus.”
The former Orlando Pirates co-head coach is wary of the threat and the speedy players of Stellies, saying they will have to manage the game properly.
“Stellenbosch is an ambitious club, they want to secure the place in the top eight,” said Davids of Stellies who are sixth in the table with 37 points after 28 matches.
“They will come here for three points as well. [But] it is about us, three o’clock at Harry Gwala, it is about managing their strengths, their pace especially on transition.
“We have to be wary, we have to manage the space that we are on the attack and have distances very clear.
“We have to have a clear structured plan in relation to how we can score goals, how we can keep the clean sheet, that is what we have focused on and that is what we will focus on.
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“The pressure is part of the game and we embrace and use that pressure in the right way to be able to execute the game plan to get three points.”
This is a familiar territory to Davids, with Maritzburg having their backs against the wall.
He was the assistant to Ernst Middendorp when Maritzburg saved its status on the last game of the season in the 2015/16 campaign.
Davids returned to Maritzburg in November last year, following the sacking of coach John Maduka, who won only two of 13 league matches in charge.
Meanwhile, Stellies coach Steve Barker knows well what Davids is going through, having struggled to save AmaZulu when they were relegated in the 2014/15 season.
