BLOEMFONTEIN – The contest for the final semifinal spot in the men’s Varsity Football tournament comes down to a direct, fierce showdown between the University of the Free State (UFS) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC). They face off today – Friday 18 September – at the Shimla Park Stadium in Bloemfontein. Kick-off is at 19:15 for the last round of the tournament fixtures.

The winner of this high-stakes encounter will join already qualified semifinalists which includes the University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), and the University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks). The top trio will be gunning to tighten their grip at the helm.

The Kovsies, led by Mokete Tsotetsi, will play host and are under immense pressure to qualify for the semifinals to prove their pedigree as the defending Varsity Football champions.

The head-to-head scenarios

The Capetonians are in fourth place with nine points, while the UFS is in fifth position with seven. Victory for the UWC’s Caracals automatically guarantees them a semifinal berth and will propel them to 12 points, completely knocking the defending champions out of the tournament regardless of other results. A draw for the Capetonians would take them to 10 points, keeping them ahead of the UFS on eight. However, that alone would not be enough to seal the fourth semifinal slot if the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) also reach 10 points and edge them on goal difference.

This is a must-win for Kovsies to make the semifinals, and such a positive outcome will take them to 10 points and leave the UWC stuck on nine points. As long as the TUT does not overtake them on goal difference in the TUT’s own final match, the UFS boys will pull off a massive comeback to enter the semifinals. If the sides draw, the UWC stays ahead of the UFS (10 points vs eight points). However, a draw throws the door wide open for the TUT (seven points). Should the TUT win their final round game against the rock-bottom University of Limpopo (UL), they would also reach 10 points and could knock the UWC out on goal difference.

The undefeated UJ, topping the log with 16 points, meet cross-town rivals UP-Tuks (10 points) in another enthralling match in Pretoria, kicking off at 18:00. Wits, in second place with 13 points, clash with the Durban University of Technology (DUT), currently placed seventh on the log on four points.

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