Wanderers finding their feet in the NFD

Written off by many as relegation favourites at the start of the season, Midlands Wanderers are beginning to rewrite that narrative. The Pietermaritzburg outfit, the only local team campaigning in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, has quietly transformed from underdogs battling for survival into a side capable of unsettling the division’s heavyweights. Once tipped to struggle in South Africa’s unforgiving second tier, Wanderers are now showing resilience, belief and the ability to turn the tide against even the league’s most established contenders.

On Saturday, Abafana Bebatha, as they are affectionately known, host Black Leopards at Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale. The Pietermaritzburg-based outfit relocated their home fixtures to Mpumalanga Township after deeming Harry Gwala Stadium unsuitable and not compliant with PSL standards. The club also previously raised concerns with Msunduzi Municipality regarding the condition of the venue and associated costs.

Last weekend they underlined their resurgence with a statement 1-0 victory over current log leaders Milford FC at Mpumalanga Stadium — a result that sent ripples through the soccer fraternity nationwide. “We must acknowledge that the step up to the NFD was significant,” said Myeni. “We were coming from the KZN ABC Motsepe League, which is provincially based.

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“In this league you travel extensively — you spend almost 80% of your time on the road. It is one of the toughest and most contested leagues in the country.

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