Stellenbosch FC news

With a slot in the quarter-finals looking possible, it means Amakhosi will deal with a more congested calendar going forward. The Glamour Boys are also firmly in the Premier Soccer League title race, meaning their focus is divided as the season hits a crucial stage. The Nedbank Cup campaign also awaits the Soweto giants later, and it is a competition they will not want to lose, but can they withstand the pressure that comes with congested fixtures?

Masandawana are playing catch-up, trying hard to close the gap between them and in-form Bucs. Meanwhile, inconsistent Amakhosi are staring at the prospect of losing the trophy, which was historically won last season.

After they started the group stage campaign with a loss, Amakhosi managed back-to-back victories, massively boosting their chances of reaching the knockout stage. The Glamour Boys completed a double over their continental rivals from Zambia after their last victory in Ndola. For Zega Mambo, the struggle continues as they remain winless, pointless and rooted at the bottom of the group.

In the PSL mid-season transfer, clubs get another chance to strengthen their squads ahead of another gruelling remainder of the campaign. Although many clubs bought new players before the season began, the mid-season window gave them a chance to get the right players to strengthen further until Thursday, January 29, when it came to a close.

The Stellies are determined to get back into the top positions on the Premier Soccer League table. In the off-season transfer window, they lost some big names to top teams in the country, something that weakened them. It got worse when coach Steve Barker dumped them for Tanzanian Premier League heavyweights Simba SC.

The former TS Galaxy tactician saw his side register a crucial win that takes them closer to the knockout stage. For the Maroons, the loss has come just as they start a new journey under the former Amakhosi coach, who was recently appointed to steer the club after the departure of a long-time tactician.

The Sea Robbers were in action against Babina Noko in the South African top-flight football on Saturday at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. The Buccaneers have been in good form and were aiming to avenge the initial 1-0 defeat suffered. However, spoils were eventually shared as no team found the back of the net.

The Western Cape team picked up crucial points on Tuesday evening with a victory over Sekhukhune United on their home turf, slowly moving themselves out of the relegation danger zone. The result marked former Kaizer Chiefs coach's first win in charge and a positive start to his tenure, although he was quick to raise fitness concerns regarding the players from Tshwane.

The Buccaneers forward delivered a statement performance on his maiden appearance for the Cape Winelands club. His crucial contribution in the Maroons' shirt on his first game is likely to spark debate about whether the Soweto giants made a mistake in releasing him to spend the rest of the season away from the club.

The 29-year-old started the season in a promising manner and was being touted as a deserving player to be selected for Bafana Bafana duty, but fizzled out and was being frozen out by Buccaneers coach Abdeslam Ouaddou. That sparked transfer rumours and the forward has now moved to the Cape Winelands where he will try to pick up form and end the season on a high.

After signing more than 10 players in the offseason transfer window, the Bucs' squad expanded incredibly, and that meant some players were automatically going to struggle for game time. In the January window, more have been brought on board; consequently, some will be released, while others will be allowed to join other clubs, either permanently or on short-term deals.

The 26-year-old has not been able to settle as anticipated in the last couple of months despite his massive quality and versatile experience. However, he has not yet secured a move to another team after his recent return from abroad, where he was plying his trade with the Portuguese Primeira Liga outfit AVS.

The former Amakhosi tactician is hoping to strengthen his new squad with tried and tested players. Both Mabasa and the winger have faced similar situations this season: reduced playtime, and to get a solution, they need to find new clubs. Now, the experienced South African tactician is reportedly ready to welcome them at his new club.