While many football fanatics think that the defeat of Black Leopards by Amazulu in their Nedbank Cup match at the Thohoyandou Stadium was a blessing in disguise, as they will now concentrate on their remaining five league matches to avoid relegation at the end of the season, it looks like they will not manage to retain their elite league status as well.

Their future as an affiliate of the Absa Premiership League is becoming bleaker by the day. The situation as it stands now requires them to win at least four of their five remaining league matches and draw one in order to escape relegation. That is most unlikely to happen to a team like Black Leopards, as they are still to win a league match this year.

Their last victory was a 2-1 win over Mamelodi Sundowns on December 5, last year. Lidoda Duvha will meet Bidvest Wits at the Thohoyandou Stadium tomorrow afternoon (26/4).

Although four of their five remaining matches will be played at the Thohoyandou Stadium, it is not safe to conclude that they will win their home matches, as they failed to do so in any of their last 10 matches. Tomorrow’s match will be followed by another home fixture, which will be played next Wednesday, April 30, when they will rub shoulders with another relegation candidate, Thanda Royal Zulu.

Failure to beat Thanda Royal Zulu will mean that Royal Zulu have escaped the chop and that Leopards must start gearing up for the Mvela Golden League, come next season. Lidoda Duvha will then host Moroka Swallows, with whom they will lock horns on May 10.

Their second last league match will be against Jomo Cosmos and will be played at the Germiston Stadium in Johannesburg. Leopards’ final hurdle will be against Kaizer Chiefs and will be played at the Thohoyandou Stadium on May 14.