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Only a few local clubs have made an immediate return to the premier division after being relegated.
Ajax Cape Town remain in the running to attain a feat only achieved by the likes of Highlands Park and Golden Arrows, the most recent teams that were demoted from the Absa Premiership only to come straight back up from the NFD after spending a single term outside the top flight.
Ajax’s fate is firmly in their hands, more so as the Urban Warriors still have to face fellow promotion hopefuls Royal Eagles and Mbombela United in their remaining four games.
But first, Ajax must win against Umoya Cape United in the Cape derby today before coach Andries Ulderink and his troops face what could be the last throw of the dice in a race that has been dominated by fellow Capetonians, Stellenbosch FC.
Ajax moved up to second spot last weekend after demolishing Witbank Spurs 5-0 on the same day Stellenbosch came away with a point in a 1-1 draw against Jomo Cosmos.
While long-time leaders Stellies remain odds-on favourites for automatic promotion, the worst for Ajax should be a runners-up spot, which will at least guarantee them a promotional play-off berth.
Undefeated in five matches since their shock loss to University of Pretoria last month, the Urban Warriors host neighbours Umoya, who saw their five-match unbeaten run halted by TS Sporting last weekend.
Despite the 2-1 defeat to Sporting, Umoya have been the best movers among the bunch in the relegation zone.
The Cape side – which was established this season on the status of the now defunct Platinum Stars – has responded positively under rookie coach Dominic Isaacs, who took over from the club boss Roger De Sá in December.
Isaacs, alongside his assistant Andre Petim, are former Ajax players. They also guided Umoya to the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by fellow NFD campaigners TS Galaxy.
The 36-year-old will now pit his tactics against former Ajax Amsterdam youth coach Ulderink (49), who similarly revived a side that battled under Muhsin Ertugral in the opening rounds of the campaign.
The two Cape rivals drew 0-0 in the first round under their respective previous coaches.
Today’s derby will see familiar faces on the pitch.
Isaacs will again turn to his seasoned campaigners Molemo Mekoa, Nyiko Tshabangu and Roscoe Pietersen, some of the players with top-flight experience in the team’s roster.
In turn, Ajax also boast a squad with a good mix of oldies and youngsters who have gelled well under Ulderink since he took over in November.
The Urban Warriors have the likes of SA Under-23 international Thendo Mukumela, Isaac Nhlapo, Grant Margeman and Thomas Verhaar, the 30-year-old winger who joined from Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam in January.
Verhaar scored a brace in Ajax’s 2-0 win over TS Sporting last month, a result that lifted his side to the second spot, which they have been alternating with Eagles.
Eagles will be at TS Galaxy today.
