Maritzburg United will seek to avoid automatic relegation from the DStv Premiership when they host Stellenbosch FC at the Harry Gwala Stadium this Saturday in their penultimate fixture of the season.
The hosts have dubbed this match an 'all or nothing' encounter and it is exactly that as part of their promotional drive to encourage their loyal fans to show support by filling up the stands in blue, with the promise of free entry.
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Due to their negative goal difference, Maritzburg need a minimum of four points from their remaining two fixtures, a tough ask as their final game is against the champions-elect, Sundowns.
After 15 years of consecutive top-flight football The Team of Choice is now faced with relegation under Fadlu Davids who himself was a player when they last dropped out of the league in the 2006/07 season.
This is now a desperate mission that calls for equally desperate measures from Maritzburg who must make sure that they win to keep themselves alive in this relegation mess involving Chippa United and Marumo Gallants.
Richards Bay and TS Galaxy are still not completely safe and could get sucked in depending on the order of results involving the league's bottom five clubs.
However, stressing the most are Maritzburg, Chippa, and Marumo.
Maritzburg must first win on Saturday against Stellies and then hope Chippa drop points away at TS Galaxy.
That will then leave Maritzburg, Chippa, and Marumo all on 29 points going into the last game of the season.
Maritzburg will feel disadvantaged by the fact that after Saturday, they must travel to Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday for their last game of the season.
The arrangement by the PSL to make them play their last game on a Tuesday while all other games will take place four days later has angered Maritzburg.
The PSL has been forced to fixture Maritzburg's last game on Tuesday since Sundowns have a CAF Champions League semi-final second leg assignment against Wydad Casablanca next Saturday – the day when all other clubs play their last league games of the season.
This means by the time all other clubs stuck in the relegation battle take to the field, they will have the advantage of knowing what is required to give themselves a chance at survival.
One game of interest for Maritzburg should they win on Saturday will be Marumo's last league fixture against Swallows on the last day, 23 May.
Marumo have a CAF Confederation Cup semi-final second leg tie against Young Africans on Wednesday to play first before they complete their domestic campaign which leaves the league with no other dates.
While they remain disgruntled about the order of fixtures what Maritzburg needs to do now is win on Saturday.
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