Latest news with #EricTinkler
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Final-day drama: Premiership battles set for decisive Saturday showdowns
Oscarine Masuluke Stellenbosch currently hold the crucial third-place spot in the Premiership. Here, Stellies goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke celebrates. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix As the Premiership gears up for a spectacular Saturday with six matches kicking off simultaneously at 3pm, the schedule is brimming with intense rivalries and the potential for unexpected twists. The teams will be vying for crucial points that could shape their seasons. Each club brings its own narrative, and the outcomes have the potential to reshape the Premiership log on a day that marks the final matches for 12 teams. Four other teams – Orlando Pirates, Magesi FC, Golden Arrows, and SuperSport United – each have one outstanding fixture following Saturday's round. Every goal scored and every point earned will matter more than ever, with several positions potentially being decided on goal difference as the PSL season reaches its climax. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix CAF Confederation Cup ticket A gripping showdown is set as Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United battle for a coveted place in next season's CAF Confederation Cup. With just one match remaining, the stakes could not be higher. Stellenbosch currently sit third, holding a slender one-point lead. Their route to continental football is straightforward: a victory in their derby clash against Cape Town City on Saturday would seal qualification, securing a second consecutive appearance on the African stage. However, if they draw or lose, the door opens for Sekhukhune, who will be looking to take full advantage with a win at Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban. Should Stellenbosch lose and Sekhukhune draw, goal difference will determine who earns the final Confederation Cup ticket in what has become a tightly contested race. No holds barred in Top 8 scramble The race for the final MTN8 spots is heating up, with a frantic fight to fill the remaining three positions. Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Stellenbosch, Sekhukhune and TS Galaxy (who, like Sundowns, have completed their league campaign with 28 games) have already secured their berths in this prestigious tournament. AmaZulu, in sixth with 34 points, appear safe thanks to their superior goal difference, giving them a comfortable cushion. That leaves six clubs in a fierce struggle to claim the final two slots: Polokwane City (33 points), Kaizer Chiefs (31), Chippa United (31 from 28 games), Marumo Gallants (31), Richards Bay (30) and Magesi (29). Polokwane could secure their spot even with a draw or loss against Chiefs. For the others, victory is essential if they are to secure a place in next season's Top 8 – setting the stage for a nail-biting finale. One more to go. But before we close the chapter, let's rewind to Jaedin's goal last time out 🔥 Let's finish strong 💪 — Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) May 22, 2025 Promotion-relegation play-offs awash with uncertainty Following Royal AM's expulsion, no club faces automatic relegation, but the team finishing 15th will enter the PSL promotion-relegation playoffs against two First Division sides. The battle to avoid this fate is tight, with three teams still at risk: Lamontville Golden Arrows (26 games, 27 points), SuperSport United (26 games, 26 points) and Cape Town City (27 games, 26 points). If City lose to Stellenbosch on Saturday, they will be consigned to the play-offs – unless SuperSport fail to win either of their two remaining fixtures. Should both clubs end on 26 points, goal difference will determine who drops into the playoff zone. Arrows are best positioned to escape danger, but back-to-back defeats – against Sekhukhune and SuperSport – could see them slide into trouble. After Saturday's action, the final picture will come into focus when Arrows and SuperSport replay their abandoned February fixture, wrapping up what has been a turbulent and unpredictable season.
IOL News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Tinkler defiant as Sekhukhune's CAF Confederation Cup hopes hang in the balance
Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler might miss out on the Top 3 objective set out by the team. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix The continental football goal that Eric Tinkler was tasked with achieving at Sekhukhune United is looking increasingly unlikely. However, South Africa's famed ginger remains unfazed about his future. Tinkler must guide Sekhukhune to victory in their final Betway Premiership clash away to Golden Arrows and hope that Stellenbosch FC drop points against Cape Town City on Saturday if they are to secure third place — the position that guarantees qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup. That was the mandate handed to him when he joined Sekhukhune midway through the season as a replacement for Lehlohonolo Seema, but failure to meet it does not necessarily mean he will be sacked. 'I don't think that's the case. It's too early for that,' was Tinkler's curt response when asked whether he fears for his job. As it stands, the experienced coach — who has led numerous local clubs and enjoyed credible runs in continental competitions — believes he has done a solid job so far at Sekhukhune. 'Definitely,' he said when asked if he was satisfied with his impact to date. 'Like I said to the players before this game (against Kaizer Chiefs), in the last seven matches you've collected 14 points. Now, if you do that throughout the season and show consistency in your results, you're fighting for the top two positions. 'Obviously what we've achieved so far is very, very good. But I would have preferred three points today because we want to finish third. And today felt more like we dropped two points.' Tinkler was speaking to the media in the bowels of the Peter Mokaba Stadium after Sekhukhune's 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs. Ngoanmello Rammala had given Sekhukhune the lead, only for Glody Lilepo to equalise on the stroke of half-time. 'I'm not entirely happy because we were aiming to collect three points to ensure we held on to third spot. But with Stellies winning, they've gone a point ahead of us. That makes the final game even more important, and unfortunately, we now rely on others to help us out.' He admitted to being surprised by Chiefs' tactical approach. 'They caught us off guard by coming out with a 3-4-3 system. In the first half, we struggled to contain (Gaston) Sirino and Lilepo — they were effectively playing as two number tens. At the back, we gave them a few half-chances. 'On the ball, we had spoken about the importance of our penetration and movement. In the first half, we created chances and scored, which was positive.' However, he was disappointed with how his team conceded the equaliser. 'We had a great cross into the box, the ball came to Keletso (Makgalwa), but we lost possession and applied no pressure on (Yusuf) Mart, who played it straight through to Lilepo. We'd spoken about showing him outside because he wants to cut in and shoot with his right foot, and yet we let him go exactly where he's strongest. Conceding right before half-time was extremely disappointing for me.' Tinkler will no doubt be even more disappointed if Sekhukhune fail to qualify for continental football — a goal that now hinges as much on their own performance as on the results of their rivals.
News24
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News24
Tinkler shattered SA missed out on dream CAF final
Sekhukhune United head coach Eric Tinkler has expressed his heartbreak after an all-South African dream CAF Champions League final was shattered last week. Tinkler's former club, Orlando Pirates, were eliminated by Pyramids FC of Egypt in the semi-final, while Mamelodi Sundowns reached the final at the expense of Egyptian giants Al Ahly last weekend. The two PSL powerhouses travelled to Cairo for the return legs last Friday after goalless stalemates at home a week earlier. Pirates lost 3-2 on aggregate but Sundowns advanced to the final on the away goals rule after holding off Al Ahly 1-1. Tinkler, who coached Pirates between 2013 and 2016, knows too well the disappointment of coming close to lifting a continental trophy. He suffered defeats in the 2015 and 2017 CAF Confederation Cup final - the first with Pirates against Étoile du Sahel of Tunisia and later with SuperSport United against the Democratic Republic of Congo's TP Mazembe. Tinkler was an assistant to coach Roger De Sa when the Buccaneers lost to Al Ahly in the Champions League final in 2013. Speaking to the media after Sekhukhune edged Pirates 1-0 at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday, the 1996 Afcon winner with Bafana Bafana showed his soft spot for his former club. In his last foray on the continent, Tinkler guided Cape Town City in their maiden Champions League three seasons ago. The 54-year-old is eager to return to the CAF interclub competition next season with Sekhukhune, who he joined in March after he was fired by Cape Town City late last year.
