Cape Town Spurs promoted, Maritzburg demoted after draw
Cape Town Spurs were promoted to the South African Premiership on Wednesday after drawing 0-0 away to demoted Maritzburg United in the final play-off.
Spurs topped the table with 10 points thanks to three solitary-goal victories before defying a second-half onslaught from a Maritzburg team backed by a capacity 12,000 crowd.
Maritzburg needed a win to retain their Premiership status, but could not unlock a Spurs side that defended in depth as tiredness set in.
"Our warrior spirit saw us through," said tearful Spurs coach Shaun Bartlett, a member of the South Africa squad that won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in Johannesburg.
"The legs of our older players were close to collapsing, but they were determined to see us into the top flight and dug deep."
Clive Barker, coach of the only South African team to lift the Cup of Nations, died last Saturday aged 78 and Spurs and Maritzburg honoured him before the kick-off by observing a minute of silence.
Premiership clubs get a 5.5 million rand ($300,000/275,000 euros) pre-season allowance, a monthly 2.5 million rand grant and play in competitions with first prizes totalling 30 million rand.
Second division sides receive 1.5 million rand each before the season kicks off, 750,000 rand a month and the league winners pocket 300,000 rand.
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