Black Leopards were left frustrated after playing out a goalless draw against Upington City at Ṱhohoyanḓou Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The fixture had initially been scheduled for earlier in the season but was postponed after Leopards were unable to field a full complement of players. Its rescheduling added further importance to the encounter, with both sides chasing crucial points late in the campaign.
Leopards came into the match knowing that victory would lift them off the bottom of the table and move them within one point of safety, currently occupied by Midlands Wanderers on 21 points. However, despite creating the better chances, they were unable to make their dominance count.
The home side enjoyed the bulk of opportunities, with Mwape Musonda coming closest to breaking the deadlock. His acrobatic overhead kick was arguably the best chance of the match, but it sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Leopards continued to press in the second half, creating several half-chances, but a lack of composure in front of goal proved costly. Upington City held firm defensively, and in the end, both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Co-coach Sundra Govender acknowledged the team’s improvement at the back but stressed the need for sharper finishing in attack.
We’re not worried. One of the biggest problems in the past was conceding goals. You can’t win games if you don’t keep things tight at the back. We’ll take the defensive improvement, but we need to work on our finishing because if you don’t score, you can’t move forward,” he said.
For Upington City, the stakes were also significant. A win would have strengthened their push toward the top positions, but the draw sees them remain sixth on the table with 33 points, seven points behind the leading pack.
Head coach Musa Nyatama admitted the road ahead remains challenging but believes his side still has a fighting chance.
We have seven games to go and 24 points to play for. It’s not going to be easy because every team is playing for something, but we’ll take it one game at a time and push as hard as we can,” said Nyatama.
The stalemate leaves Leopards still searching for a way out of the relegation zone, with their survival hopes now hinging on turning promising performances into victories. Upington City, meanwhile, remain in contention but will need a strong finish to close the gap on the leaders.
With the season entering its decisive phase, every point and missed opportunity could prove decisive at both ends of the table.