Nigerian trio hoping to get Stellenbosch to the MTN8

The South African Premiership is about to enter its final stretch, with most eyes on the title battle between the Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns. The two sides are separated by just one point, with the Brazilians holding a narrow lead.

Although the title fight understandably draws most of the focus, there’s still plenty left to play for further down the table. One of the closest contests is to see who will qualify for next season’s MTN8.

The tournament is not only one of the most prestigious in the country, but also offers significant prize money. Qualification can provide clubs with invaluable funds to invest in their squads, making a top-eight finish a priority.

There are four clubs currently in contention for the final two spots of the MTN8, and of special interest to Nigerian fans will be Stellenbosch FC. The team features three homegrown stars, and all will need to be on top form to get their team into the MTN8.

Nigerian trio key for Stellenbosch

The race for the final MTN8 spots is tight. With just games to go, Durban City sit in 7th with 36 points. The Golden Arrows are 8th with 35, and Siwelele 9th on 32. Stellenbosch is 10th, also on 32 points, but slightly behind on goal difference.

South African fans will doubtless be watching out for all big games between these clubs, and can collect a Betshezi promo code to back the action. Supporters from Nigeria, however, will likely focus on Stellenbosch.

The team features three key Nigerian players. The most important is doubtless new signing Olisa Ndah. The Super Eagles centre-back only joined Stellenbosch in February, but made an instant impact on his debut.

Being played slightly out of position as a defensive midfielder, Ndah excelled with a 100% tackle success rate as he helped the team to a 2-1 victory over Chippa United at the end of March. Since then, he’s been ever-present at centre-back.

Ndah might be a new signing at Stellenbosch, but he’s far from the only Nigerian star on the team. The Stellies also feature Kazie Enyinnaya at right back, while Ibraheem Jabaar is at the heart of the midfield.

While all three will be vital to the team’s chances of qualification, there’s extra pressure on Ndah and Enyinnaya. The two defenders will be key in helping Stellenbosch keep clean sheets and improving the team’s goal difference.

Overturning goal difference key

The reason that Stellenbosch is 10th instead of 9th comes down to goal difference. The team are tied on points with Siwelele, however the Stellies have a -4 goal difference to Siwelele’s -2. This is some way behind the Golden Arrows on -2, while 7th placed Durban City also enjoy a neutral 0.

With things looking tight in the qualification race, pulling this goal deficit back is critical for Stellenbosch. This means keeping clean sheets, and not easing up on opponents when the team is ahead. If they don’t, Stellenbosch could find themselves in the heartbreaking position of having enough points to qualify for the MTN8, but missing out on goal difference.