Promotion-chasing Durban City return to play days after death of player
Three days after the death of one of their team members, Sinamandla Zondi, Durban City will return to action where the midfielder collapsed.
City will host Pretoria Callies at Chatsworth Stadium in a Motsepe Foundation Championship clash on Friday evening.
Zondi collapsed during pre-match warm-up for City's league game against Milford at the same venue on Tuesday evening.
The 22-year-old was rushed to Chatsmed Garden Hospital, but could not be resuscitated.
By the time his death was confirmed at about 8pm, his side was trailing the visitors 1-0 at halftime. The match had to be abandoned.
The PSL on Wednesday said it offered City an opportunity to postpone their next match, but the club opted to honour their fixture.
In honour of Zondi's memory, a moment of silence was observed at all PSL matches played on Wednesday and the same will happen at this weekend's games.
Zondi, originally from Greytown in northern KwaZulu-Natal, featured in almost all of City's games this season.
With four matches remaining for most clubs, the race for a ticket to the premiership is heating up, with City the odds-on favourites to gain automatic promotion.
The fight to finish second and third to secure PSL playoff spots, as well as the battle to avoid relegation, is just as intense.
City, who changed their name from Maritzburg United to Durban City at the beginning of the season, lead the second-tier league with 46 points from 25 games, while Callies are in a relegation battle in second place from the bottom with 27 points from 25 matches.
The race for automatic promotion is heating up.The fight to finish second and third and the relegation battle is just as intense. @City_Press pic.twitter.com/qCU8O9aqBn
— Tiisetso Malepa (@TiisetsoMalepa) April 25, 2025
Other serious contenders for promotion are second-placed Orbit College, Black Leopards (third) and Kruger United (fourth).
Orbit will host Kruger at Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg, while Leopards will be away to Milford on Sunday.
Fast facts
With 36 points from 24 games, Milford, seventh on the log, are also in with a realistic chance for automatic promotion or a spot in the playoffs.
Fifth-placed Castic Stars (40 points from 26 games) and sixth-placed JDR Stars (39 points from 26 matches) are also in the race among top seven clubs.
Stars will host Cape Town Spurs at Solomon Mahlangu Stadium in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, on Sunday.
Spurs, in 13 th place with 28 points from 26 games, sit just a point above the bottom two clubs, Callies and Leruma United (24 points from 26 games).
Callies and Leruma will be relegated to the amateur ranks of ABC Motsepe League if they finish there.
Leruma will host University of Pretoria at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
Venda Football Academy will host Upington City at Thohoyandou Stadium, while Baroka will be at home against Highbury at Global One Stadium in Lebowakgomo.
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