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Timothy Molobi

IT IS judgment time in the Absa Premiership.

Popular and tired phrases such as “D-day”, “down to the wire”, “survival of the fittest” and “it’s anyone’s guess” have been used repeatedly this season.

As things stand, your guess is as good as mine as to whether SuperSport United will annex the title and Black Leopards are destined for the dreaded drop.

With three rounds remaining, the top and bottom of the log look the same, with no clear favourite to lift the championship or get relegated.

SuperSport returned to the summit after midweek’s matches following a goalless draw away to Santos.

Close contenders Ajax Cape Town dropped three valuable points, going down by 2-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Downs seem to hold all the aces as to who will eventually walk away with the crown and who will go down. Last week they demolished SuperSport 3-1 in a Tshwane derby to open doors for Ajax to overtake them.

This week they did their neighbours a huge favour by applying brakes to Ajax’s surge to the top.

Unfortunately, it is a little too late for them to contest for the title as their late rally will just not be good enough.

At the bottom, Black Leopards have clawed their way back to an almost safe zone following victories over Bidvest Wits and fellow relegation candidates Thanda Royal Zulu.

They are still rooted at the bottom of the log, but the two wins see them tied on 22 points with Jomo Cosmos.

Royal Zulu are only two points ahead, with all three still to play each other in their final games of the campaign.

Cosmos have failed to win a game since the league resumed in February. Coach Jomo Sono’s silence could only mean he is feeling the heat, and with games against Sundowns and Leopards still to follow he knows that it will not be easy.

Sheppard Murape seems to have found a cure for Leopards’ ailment.

Leopards still have to face Golden Arrows, Cosmos and Kaizer Chiefs.

The match against Cosmos will be a six-pointer.

Gordon Igesund’s arrival at Royal Zulu as an adviser is still to yield results as they lost 2-3 to Leopards this week. Igesund travelled to Thohoyandou with the team, but his presence could not get them the desired result. They still have to face Santos, Wits and then Cosmos in what should be a decider.

The unpredictability and lack of guarantees are what make football tick. The R10-million question is: who will walk away with the title?

Your guess is as good as mine.

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