THOHOYANDOU – The future of Black Leopards in the Castle Premiership League is hanging in the balance. The Thohoyandou outfit are now languishing in the second last position on the log, after losing 0-3 to Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend.

Black Leopards have so far deposited 26 points into their league account after playing 27 matches. They must play three more league matches before completing their league activities for the current season. They are tied with the bottom-of-the-log side, Manning Rangers Football Club, with the same number of points. What is more likely to make their chances for surviving the chop slim is the fact that the two teams that are above them on the log, Wits University and Bush Bucks, each has a match in hand.

The only thing that they must do in order to escape the big axe is to win all their remaining matches and hope that their nearest rivals will lose.

Their remaining matches will be against Manning Rangers, Moroka Swallows and Ajax Cape Town. Manning Rangers are now under the guidance of the former Black Leopards coach, Shakes Mashaba, who will have a point to prove when the two teams meet.

The race for the league championship is between three teams: Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and the current logleaders, Orlando Pirates. Pirates have 52 points while Sundowns have 49 with Chiefs in the third spot, with 46 points. Asked for comment, Black Leopards’ brand manager, Tshifhiwa Thidiela, said that there was nothing much they could do since the window period for the registration of players is long closed. He said that the only thing they will do is to continue praying that they win all their remaining matches.