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Winning is our only option, says Maritzburg coach

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Maritzburg United’s approach to their final Absa Premiership clash against Baroka FC in Polokwane on Saturday has to be all about winning, according to their coach Eric Tinkler.

The Team of Choice face undoubtedly one of their biggest matches in history when they travel to the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium for the must-win game that has their future hinging on the outcome.

Lose and they will be relegated, but win and they will have a good chance of surviving. A draw will leave them heavily relying on other results and Tinkler says that winning is their only option.

Tinkler’s reference to Black Leopards was their last trip to Limpopo two weeks ago when his Maritzburg side went away to Thohoyandou and won 2-1.

They then followed that up with another victory at home to SuperSport United (3-1).

Those back-to-back wins have given their survival chances a massive boost. However, while they have been winning, some of their rivals to beat relegation have been winning and Tinkler conceded they currently face an uncertain future.

Maritzburg’s win over Matsatsantsa in their final home match was their third in the past five games, and although they stayed bottom of the Premiership, they do now have 26 points. That is one less than Black Leopards, Free State Stars and Chippa United, who all have difficult final day fixtures to negotiate.

The men from KwaZulu-Natal are also only two behind Baroka, and should they end level on points with either of the above teams, they should have the edge due to their superior goal difference. But it is not something Tinkler wants to rely on.

Should Maritzburg and the three teams immediately above them on 27 points – Leopards, Chippa and Free State Stars – also somehow manage to win, it will mean that the only side that the KZN side overtake will be Baroka.

That will at least mean they are not automatically relegated and offer them a survival chance through the play-offs. Although it was not something preferred by Tinkler, the United coach says he will jump at the opportunity should it be offered to him at this stage.

A reminder that the final matches of the season all take place simultaneously this Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm. – Report by Thahir Asmal

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