2009–10 National First Division

National First Division
Season 2009–10
← 2008–09

2009–10 National First Division, was the season from August 2009 until February 2010, of South Africa's second tier of professional football. By the end of the season, the Coastal stream champion Vasco da Gama met to play the overall championship final, against the Inland stream champion Black Leopards. Vasco da Gama won the final, and thereby got promoted to Premier Soccer League. The subsequent playoff stage, was contested by the losing finalist, two second ranked teams of the NFD streams, and the second lowest ranked team of PSL. Winner of the playoff stage, and thereby the second promotion to PSL, was the team Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Contents

Season Structure

The league is made up of 16 teams, split into 2 streams. Each team plays the other 7 teams in their stream 3 times, for a total of 21 games. Teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 for draw, and 0 for a loss. At the end of the season, the top ranked team from each stream play in a two-legged final, the winner of which is crowned National First Division Champion, and gains automatic promotion to the Premier Soccer League for the next season. The loser of the final, along with the teams which came second in their streams, and the 15th placed PSL team, go into the PSL promotion play-offs. The two teams finishing in last place in their streams are automatically relegated to the Vodacom League. They are replaced by the finalists of the Vodacom League championship game.

Clubs

Coastal stream Inland stream
Team City Team City
Bay United Port Elizabeth African Warriors Phuthaditjhaba
Carara Kicks Welkom Batau Ermelo
FC Cape Town Cape Town Black Leopards Thohoyandou
Hanover Park Cape Town Dynamos Polokwane
Ikapa Sporting Cape Town University of Pretoria Pretoria
Nathi Lions Durban United Kimberley
Thanda Royal Zulu Durban Winners Park Polokwane
Vasco da Gama Cape Town Witbank Spurs Witbank

League Standings

Coastal Stream

Pos
Team Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Promotion or Relegation
1 Vasco da Gama 21 11 5 5 31 20 +11 38 NFD Coastal Stream Champions 2009/2010
2 Nathi Lions 21 9 9 3 31 19 +12 36 Qualified for PSL promotion play-offs
3 Bay United 21 10 5 6 20 19 +1 35
4 Carara Kicks 21 7 6 8 30 30 0 27
5 Thanda Royal Zulu 21 6 9 6 29 29 0 27
6 F.C. Cape Town 21 6 7 8 21 26 -5 25
7 Hanover Park 21 5 5 11 18 28 -10 20
8 Ikapa Sporting 21 4 6 11 23 32 -9 18 Relegated to the Vodacom League

As of 13 February 2010.[1]

Inland Stream

Pos
Team Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Promotion or Relegation
1 Black Leopards 21 13 2 6 42 22 +20 41 NFD Inland Stream Champions 2009/2010
2 African Warriors 21 12 4 5 29 22 +7 40 Qualified for PSL promotion play-offs
3 Witbank Spurs 21 10 4 7 32 28 +4 34
4 Batau 21 7 7 7 29 25 +4 28
5 Dynamos 21 7 5 9 21 29 -8 26
6 University of Pretoria 21 7 4 10 23 29 -6 25
7 United 21 6 7 8 21 29 -8 23
8 Winners Park 21 5 3 13 26 39 -13 18 Relegated to the Vodacom League

As of 13 February 2010.[1]

Post Season

NFD Final

Vasco da Gama and Black Leopards played a two legged tie to determine the 2009-10 NFD champion, and automatic promotion to the PSL. Vasco da Gama won the tie to become NFD champions, and were promoted to the PSL for the 2010/2011season.

Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Black Leopards 2-3 Vasco da Gama 1-1 1-2

Promotion play offs

Black Leopards (losing finalist), Nathi Lions (2nd in coastal stream), African Warriors (2nd in inland stream), and Mpumalanga Black Aces (15th in PSL), all entered into the Promotion play offs. This play off competition, was played as a cup with two legged matches. The two semifinals were played simultaneously at March 17 and 24, and the two legged final took place at April 3 and 8. The two teams to qualify for the final were Black Leopards and Mpumalanga Black Aces, and after ordinary time of the two matches, the aggregate score ended at 3-3, and thus a penalty shoot out. When the first 5 ordinary shots had been completed, there was a winning score of 5-3 to Mpumalanga Black Aces, who thereby had managed to retain their PSL status.[2]

Semifinals:

Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Black Leopards 6 - 3 African Warriors 4 - 0 2 - 3
Mpumalanga Black Aces 4 - 2 Nathi Lions 2 - 2 2 - 0

Promotion Play Off Final:

Team 1   Agg.   Team 2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Mpumalanga Black Aces 3 - 3
(5-3 penalty)
Black Leopards 1 - 2 2 - 1

External links

References