Cape Town City FC have suffered another setback in the chase for promotion to the Betway Premiership next season after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Kruger United on Wednesday afternoon.
CT City dropped crucial points against the Mpumalanga-based outfit, a result that severely dented their hopes of securing an automatic return to the SA top-flight as NFD champions. The Citizens were relegated at the end of the previous campaign, and despite a sluggish start to life in the second-tier, they managed to dust themselves off and put together an impressive run of form to reignite their promotion charge.
However, the Citizens’ momentum has stalled after going winless in their last two league outings. They played to a frustrating goalless draw against fellow promotion hopefuls Hungry Lions FC before suffering a costly defeat at the hands of Kruger. From 26 matches played, the Cape Town-based outfit has recorded 12 wins, eight draws, and six defeats.
As the Motsepe Foundation Championship enters the home stretch, Cape Town City find themselves third on the log with 44 points. They now trail leaders Kruger by eight points, a daunting gap with only four matches remaining in the season.
On the other hand, Kruger are currently enjoying a dream run in the second tier, securing a perfect nine points from their last three matches. This surge in form saw them claim the scalps of Lerumo Lions FC, Highbury FC, and, most recently, a direct promotion rival in Cape Town City.
KRUGER UNITED ARE EDGING CLOSER TO AUTOMATIC PROMOTION
Kruger have amassed 52 points, boasting a record of 15 wins, seven draws, and four defeats from 26 matches. Should they maintain their flawless run through the final four fixtures, they will secure automatic promotion to the elite league, joining TS Galaxy as the second Mpumalanga-based representative in the Betway Premiership.
Meanwhile, Hungry Lions FC surged into second place on the standings after delivering a 4-2 thumping of AmaTuks on Wednesday. The Northern Cape outfit has now collected 47 points from 26 matches, keeping the pressure firmly on the log leaders.
At the other end of the table, Baroka FC’s survival hopes took another hit as they played to a 1-1 stalemate against Gomora United. Bakgakga remain mired in the relegation zone, occupying 16th position with just 19 points. They now face a daunting task to close the gap on 15th-placed Black Leopards, who sit six points clear on 25 points.
MOTSEPE FOUNDATION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHDAY 26 RESULTS:
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Black Leopards 0-0 The Bees
Casric Stars 3-0 Highbury FC
Midlands Wanderers FC 2-1 Upington City FC
Wednesday, 22 April 2026
Kruger United 2-1 Cape Town City FC
Hungry Lions FC 4-2 AmaTuks
Leicesterford City FC 0-0 Lerumo Lions FC
Venda FC 1-0 Milford FC
Baroka FC 1-1 Gomora United
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