from DION HENRICK in Cape Town
CAPE TOWN, (CAJ News) – AFTER surviving the relegation drop from the national first division (NFD) by a whisker in the just-ended season, Cape Town Spurs will live another day to work their way back to the Premiership.
Formerly Ajax Cape Town, the Urban Warriors avoided relegation on the last day of the damned GladAfrica Championship this past weekend.
Their narrow win over Pretoria University preserved their status at the expense of fellow Capetonians, Steenburg United, who finished 15th to accompany last-placed Bizana Pondo Chiefs out of the league.
Spurs won 2-1 as Steenburg received a 4-0 thumping from playoffs finishers Richards Bay as the curtains came down a chaotic GladAfica-sponsored NFD.
The controversy at the top of the 16-team log, where the winner looks set to be decided on the boardroom or the courtroom, overshadowed Spurs’ survival.
It brought to an end a grueling season for the former DStv Premiership side who this time last season were fighting for promotion to the elite league, only to be denied by eventual winners, Swallows FC.
Spurs’ Brazilian midfielder, Kassiano Soares Mendonca, believes the team can fight for promotion next season.
“I believe so much in this team,” he said in an interview with CAJ News Africa.
He blamed lack of luck in the struggles endured in the just-ended season.
“We were unlucky,” the South American said.
“We controlled so many games but we could not score,” the Rio de Janeiro-born player said
Mendonca believes with the talent at their disposal, Spurs deserved to end in the playoffs position.
The past season was a turbulent one for the Urban Warriors, who amassed 33 points from 30 games.
They parted ways with coach Ian Taylor following their struggles with relegation.
His successor, Dyan Deane, masterminded their survival.
– CAJ News