Squad imbalance, poor management decisions led to City relegation

CAPE Town City FC’s stint in the top-flight Premiership came to a catastrophic end following a 1-0 defeat against Orbit College in a PSL promotion/relegation playoff clash on Wednesday.

- HERMAN GIBBS

Players were left in shock as disbelief swept through the squad after the final whistle, their dreams of remaining in the Premiership dashed in a match that epitomised their struggles this season.

Cape Town City, historically a formidable presence by finishing in the top eight for each of their previous eight seasons, found themselves failing to rise to the occasion when it mattered most. In what isa seismic shift in South African football, the club’s catastrophic fall to the First Division marks a spectacular decline for a team that was once a formidable presence in South African football.

This season's results contrast starkly with City’s notable achievements, such as winning the 2016 Telkom Knockout, the 2018 MTN8, and finishing runners-up in the 2021-22 season behind perennial champions Mamelodi Sundowns.