Durban City coach Simo Dladla is aiming to increase the gap between his team and second-placed Orbit College in the Motsepe Foundation Championship when the two sides meet in a top-of-the-table clash at Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday at 19:30.

City, who were eliminated from the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals by Marumo Gallants this past weekend, are at the top of the Motsepe Foundation Championship with 40 points after 20 matches.  

They hold a six-point lead over second-placed Orbit, who have played one more game.  

“We have to win this game and extend the lead,” said Dladla. “It’s not going to be easy. We’re going to face another team like Marumo Gallants, a team that’s good on the ball.

“We’ll have to work very hard without the ball but also use the ball better. I don’t think we’ll face the same quality on Wednesday because Gallants is a team from the higher division.

“I believe Orbit can be hurt if we do things right, and I also believe they can hurt us if we don’t manage the spaces because I’m sure they will have the majority of possession. But for us, it’s about results now, not playing a beautiful game.”

When the two sides met in the first round, they drew 1-1 in November away.

Orbit is facing a City side that has only lost one league game at home, which was against the University of Pretoria. Dladla has credited the support they receive in the stands.

“Credit goes to the supporters,” he said. “We are attracting a lot of support from people around Durban, and we appreciate that. We are urging them to come in numbers; we need more of that because it gives us the responsibility not to disappoint.”

The club was rebranded as Durban City from Maritzburg United at the start of the season after they were evicted by the Msunduzi Municipality in Pietermaritzburg following their relegation from the top flight at the end of the 2022/23 season.

City chairman Farook Kadodia told this website that he will not rename the club or return to Pietermaritzburg if they earn promotion at the end of the season. This is due to Royal AM, the club that replaced them at Harry Gwala Stadium and assumed the Msunduzi Municipality sponsorship, being claimed by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) after club owner Shauwn Mkhize allegedly incurred a R40 million debt to SARS.

The club, under the curator appointed by SARS, will be sold on Friday.