Khothatso Leballo

The continental football mother body has announced a decision after days of speculation that the women’s continental competition could be pushed to a later date. The Cairo-based organisation has now revealed the new dates for the competition.

Amakhosi have been hogging the headlines in recent weeks for their struggles, raising concerns as a season that began with promise threatens to slip away. The inconsistent results have intensified scrutiny on the Soweto giants as pressure continues to mount. Different opinions have since emerged about what could be going wrong at Naturena.

The 27-year-old began the season in scintillating form for the Buccaneers, a run that earned him a recall to the national team and a place in the squad for the 2025 AFCON finals. However, his fortunes have dipped since returning from the continental tournament, with his form and game time coming under scrutiny. His agent has since claimed the player is being frozen out for other reasons than his performances on the pitch.

The Soweto giants have been struggling in recent matches, piling more pressure on their already embattled technical team. The disappointing results have deepened concerns as frustration continues to grow among supporters. Amakhosi now risk finishing the season empty-handed and could even fall outside the top eight, missing out on an MTN8 berth for next season.

The Ghost survived a scare against Rise and Shine in Limpopo but will be happy to go back home with a narrow victory from the match at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday. More importantly for the Soweto giants, they are still at the summit of the Premier Soccer League log.

The 48-year-old is currently the head coach of the Kenya national team and remains strongly linked with several clubs, including Kaizer Chiefs. He was also touted as a possible successor to Jose Riveiro at Orlando Pirates before the Buccaneers settled for Abdeslam Ouaddou.

The Uruguayan has struggled for regular game time and consistent form at Amakhosi this season. His inconsistent performances have drawn mounting criticism from fans and pundits alike. More was expected from him when he arrived at Naturena from Mamelodi Sundowns in August 2024 as a high-profile signing.

GOAL gives you the details to follow Amakhosi's Premier Soccer League trip to KwaZulu-Natal for a date with the Natal Rich Boyz at uMhlathuze Stadium. The match is already sold-out, giving Amakhosi more pressure to pick themselves from a difficult run of form. They are up against opponents who are keen on rising up the standings to stay safe from the relegation zone.

Amakhosi’s performance against their old foes has drawn sharp condemnation from a former Maritzburg United coach, who finds nothing positive to take from the display by the 2014/15 Premier Soccer League champions. The Glamour Boys were second best in key moments of the game as they did not show the hunger expected in such a high-stakes clash.

The Amakhosi co-coach was candid in his post-mortem of the 3-0 defeat to the Buccaneers in the Soweto Derby last weekend. Reflecting on the heavy loss, he admitted his side was their own worst enemies on the day and were to blame. The Burundian conceded that in a fixture as big as the derby, their players simply did not show up.

The former Bafana Bafana coach is currently unattached, with his last stints being outside South Africa in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran. He has been linked to Kaizer Chiefs and replacing Hugo Broos in the national team. His tenure at the Cairo giants is still being debated.

Premier Soccer League action continued this weekend as the campaign rolled into matchday 19, with teams jostling for crucial points in the race for honours and survival. While the Soweto Derby featuring Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates understandably hogged the limelight, other teams were also in action, quietly shaping the standings and adding fresh twists to an increasingly competitive season.

Amakhosi were humiliated by their old rivals in a contest where they offered little resistance for the better part of the afternoon. By their co-coach’s own admission, they were out of the game and were outplayed by their opponents. The damaging result also appeared to have caught the attention of their former coach, adding to the growing scrutiny on their performance.

Amakhosi have lost four of their last five matches, managing just one win in that stretch. The worrying form has hit the team after what had been a promising start to the campaign. It is a run that reflects the crumbling fortunes of the Soweto giants as momentum slips away at a crucial stage of the season.

The Amakhosi first-choice custodian was not available, and his replacement endured a leaky outing on his return, which happened on the big stage as he started in goal for the first time since May 2025. On an afternoon meant to remind everyone of his pedigree, he instead appeared vulnerable between the sticks, and his performance could raise fresh doubts about him.

Bafana Bafana are heavily powered by players plying their trade in the Premier Soccer League; that local pedigree has helped turn them into a formidable force on the African continent. A former star who enjoyed a glittering club career across Europe has been charmed by what he has witnessed in South Africa’s domestic scene, insisting the structure and brand of football on display are qualities worth emulating.

Calls for the 21-year-old defender to be included in the National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continue to grow louder, with some believing he has done enough to earn his place in the squad. The centre-back has steadily built his profile during his three years in the United States, gaining valuable experience in a competitive environment. Crucially, he has tested himself against some of the best attacking talents in the game, such as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

The KwaZulu-Natal outfit is fast carving out a reputation of constantly chopping and changing technical team members, with stability proving hard to find at the club this season. Just as continuity seemed within reach, their German technical director has departed once again, marking his second exit this season. The revolving door continues to raise questions about the club's long-term planning and direction.