Polokwane City promoted to PSL by narrowest of margins

Polokwane City have been promoted to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) after a thumping 4-0 win over Pretoria Callies in Limpopo during a dramatic final day of the Motsepe Foundation League on Sunday. 

City won the Motsepe Foundation Championship to clinch automatic promotion by the narrowest of margins in goal difference as they ended equal on 57 points with Cape Town Spurs, who played a 1-1 draw with University of Pretoria (Tuks). 

City make a return to the big time after they were relegated on the last day of the 2019-20 season, but there was heartbreak for Spurs and Casric Stars. 

Third-placed Casric, who played to a 2-2 draw with All Stars, missed out on automatic promotion by one point as they ended on 56 points, but all is not lost for them. 

Spurs and Casric have another opportunity of going up to the elite league during the promotion play-offs against the team that finishes second last in the PSL. 

City secured promotion through first-half goals from Samuel Nana, Francis Baloyi, Puleng Marema and Bulelani Nikani.

Though City cruised to victory against Callies, it was a heartbreaking day for Spurs when they fell behind after a stunning long-range free-kick by Samuel Julies after 77 minutes. 

Spurs, who started the day on top of the standings, equalised in the dying minutes through Therlo Moosa but it proved to be too little as they needed a straight win to be promoted. 

For their championship efforts, City will walk away with R5m that will possibly go towards helping them prepare for the PSL, where they will be trying to wrestle the title from a dominant Mamelodi Sundowns. 

There was no drama at the bottom of the log as Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) and Black Leopards were relegated to the third tier of SA football a few weeks ago.