{"id":302942,"date":"2022-03-23T04:05:30","date_gmt":"2022-03-23T02:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/battle-for-promotion-heats-up-20220322\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:16:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T14:16:29","slug":"battle-for-promotion-heats-up-20220322-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/battle-for-promotion-heats-up-20220322-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Battle for promotion heats up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With only a few matches left in the season, the Free State\u2019s ABC Motsepe League championship is at a climax. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Five football clubs, two in stream A and three in stream B, still have a realistic chance of lifting the trophy and qualifying for the play-offs for promotion to the national first division. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Qwaqwa-based outfit Dikwena FC tops stream A with 29 points, while the Bloemfontein-based Blackcross side leads stream B with 26 points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bloemfontein Celtic, with 23 points, and Sibanye Golden Stars, with 22, are the dark horses in stream B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A return fixture between Blackcross and Stars, scheduled to be played on 9 April, is likely to determine the winner in stream B. The outcome will depend largely on the performance of Celtic and Stars in their remaining return matches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dikwena\u2019s remaining matches are against the Bloemfontein-based Clever Boys, Botshabelo-based Mathaithai and Bethlehem-based Super Eagles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In D\u2019General\u2019s remaining fixtures, this side will face off against Eagles, Kovsie FC, the Central University of Technology and Matjhabeng FC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Must-win fixtures for Blackcross are against Spartans and Harmony. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Celtic\u2019s important matches are against Excelsior United, Bloemfontein Young Tigers, African Warriors and Spartans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The winner of stream A will face off against the winner of stream B to determine the province\u2019s overall winner. This winner will automatically qualify for promotion to the national first division. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The play-offs will be staged later this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li> Since 2013, no team from the Free State has succeeded in gaining promotion. The last club to manage this feat was Maluti FC from Qwaqwa. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With only a few matches left in the season, the Free State\u2019s ABC Motsepe League championship is at a 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